Jim Aikin
@jimaikin.bsky.social
Musician, writer, progressive. Retired guy. Outgoing, gregarious recluse. Skeptic. You can find my books on Amazon if you spell my name properly.
I'm avoiding following or responding to anyone who posts political stuff. I hate the fascists as much as you do, but I find the daily news much, much too upsetting. And there's absolutely nothing I can do to change any of it.
March 12, 2025 at 8:11 PM
I'm avoiding following or responding to anyone who posts political stuff. I hate the fascists as much as you do, but I find the daily news much, much too upsetting. And there's absolutely nothing I can do to change any of it.
By the way, I have a few novels on Amazon and more coming soon. If you're into reading, follow me for details. A four-volume fantasy epic, a historical mystery, a collection of stories....
March 12, 2025 at 8:08 PM
By the way, I have a few novels on Amazon and more coming soon. If you're into reading, follow me for details. A four-volume fantasy epic, a historical mystery, a collection of stories....
Welp -- still no answer on how I can view the entirety of a conversation on bluesky as a thread (the way I can on Facebook). If bluesky can't do this, fuck bluesky. If bluesky can do it, why have they hidden the option so successfully? Don't they WANT people to have extended conversations?
January 31, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Welp -- still no answer on how I can view the entirety of a conversation on bluesky as a thread (the way I can on Facebook). If bluesky can't do this, fuck bluesky. If bluesky can do it, why have they hidden the option so successfully? Don't they WANT people to have extended conversations?
How do I view the entire contents of a conversation as a single thread? I will keep posting this message every time I'm here, until someone answers the question. If it's not possible to do this, goodbye forever, bluesky.
January 30, 2025 at 11:43 PM
How do I view the entire contents of a conversation as a single thread? I will keep posting this message every time I'm here, until someone answers the question. If it's not possible to do this, goodbye forever, bluesky.
The other thing about bluesky that seems weird is, when I see a reply to one of my posts, how can I read the entire thread, including my original post? How can I be certain what they're replying to? None of the UI buttons seems to provide access to that crucial context.
January 30, 2025 at 9:57 PM
The other thing about bluesky that seems weird is, when I see a reply to one of my posts, how can I read the entire thread, including my original post? How can I be certain what they're replying to? None of the UI buttons seems to provide access to that crucial context.
The trouble with bluesky is, there are no special interest groups. Half of my Facebook activity is in the cello group, the fiction groups, and the various electronic music groups (Reason, VCV Rack, etc.). Until that feature is added, why should I hang out here?
January 30, 2025 at 7:46 PM
The trouble with bluesky is, there are no special interest groups. Half of my Facebook activity is in the cello group, the fiction groups, and the various electronic music groups (Reason, VCV Rack, etc.). Until that feature is added, why should I hang out here?
I keep giving up writing fiction. Done it over and over, for many years. But a couple of posts today in Facebook fiction groups reminded me that I have a gift others lack. Can it be right not to use my gift?
January 30, 2025 at 7:43 PM
I keep giving up writing fiction. Done it over and over, for many years. But a couple of posts today in Facebook fiction groups reminded me that I have a gift others lack. Can it be right not to use my gift?
Binge-watching Doctor Who (starting with Eccleston). I kind of wish some of the early series were available as reasonably priced DVD sets. I've watched a few of the Tom Baker episodes, but other than that the early series are a mystery to me.
January 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Binge-watching Doctor Who (starting with Eccleston). I kind of wish some of the early series were available as reasonably priced DVD sets. I've watched a few of the Tom Baker episodes, but other than that the early series are a mystery to me.
Anybody here using Cardinal? I have an assignment to write an article about it, but finding a contact email for any of the developers is proving difficult. (And no, I don't plan to log on to IRC. I don't need to open yet another user account for something I'll never use again.)
December 9, 2024 at 12:38 AM
Anybody here using Cardinal? I have an assignment to write an article about it, but finding a contact email for any of the developers is proving difficult. (And no, I don't plan to log on to IRC. I don't need to open yet another user account for something I'll never use again.)
I go back and forth. Just when I decide I'm going to dig into music, I have a new idea for a novel to write.
December 6, 2024 at 8:54 PM
I go back and forth. Just when I decide I'm going to dig into music, I have a new idea for a novel to write.
I'm still on Scrivener 1.9.7 (for Windows) and quite happy with it. Would the new version give me anything that would actually improve my life?
November 29, 2024 at 2:03 AM
I'm still on Scrivener 1.9.7 (for Windows) and quite happy with it. Would the new version give me anything that would actually improve my life?
Here's what I don't understand about bluesky: How to read through a complete thread of conversation between me and one or more others. I see the other person's latest response in my Notifications, but unless I happen to remember from context what she was responding to, it's entirely mysterious.
November 29, 2024 at 1:27 AM
Here's what I don't understand about bluesky: How to read through a complete thread of conversation between me and one or more others. I see the other person's latest response in my Notifications, but unless I happen to remember from context what she was responding to, it's entirely mysterious.
New writing project (fiction). Not ready to talk about it yet. Wrote 2800 words before 1 pm today, first draft of ch 1 and part of ch 2. I won't be able to keep up that pace, but it's nice knowing I still have the chops. Now I have to work out the plot....
November 27, 2024 at 12:49 AM
New writing project (fiction). Not ready to talk about it yet. Wrote 2800 words before 1 pm today, first draft of ch 1 and part of ch 2. I won't be able to keep up that pace, but it's nice knowing I still have the chops. Now I have to work out the plot....
Researching cozy mysteries. It's an odd genre. On the New Books table at the library I picked up "The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society" by C. M. Waggoner -- and it's actually GOOD. Most cozies hit their market niche and that's all, but Waggoner knows how to write. Shocking, I know....
November 25, 2024 at 6:08 AM
Researching cozy mysteries. It's an odd genre. On the New Books table at the library I picked up "The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society" by C. M. Waggoner -- and it's actually GOOD. Most cozies hit their market niche and that's all, but Waggoner knows how to write. Shocking, I know....
I know I have a box set of the first four volumes of Game of Thrones, but it has disappeared somehow. I know I didn't give it to Friends of the Library; it wasn't that bad!
November 21, 2024 at 10:12 PM
I know I have a box set of the first four volumes of Game of Thrones, but it has disappeared somehow. I know I didn't give it to Friends of the Library; it wasn't that bad!
Blogging about writing fiction. Here's today's brain wave. It's about market research, and why you need to do it. midiguru.wordpress.com/2024/11/20/w...
What It Takes
If you hope to become a successful author, I suppose there are two questions you’ll need to look at. First, do you have what it takes? This question is about your personal strengths and weakn…
midiguru.wordpress.com
November 20, 2024 at 7:56 PM
Blogging about writing fiction. Here's today's brain wave. It's about market research, and why you need to do it. midiguru.wordpress.com/2024/11/20/w...
This morning I discovered that the Internet Archive (whatever that is) has a scanned copy of my first novel. I earn nothing from this, of course. It has been out of print for a very long time, so I guess I'm flattered that someone cared enough to rip apart their paperback copy and scan the pages.
November 19, 2024 at 5:54 PM
This morning I discovered that the Internet Archive (whatever that is) has a scanned copy of my first novel. I earn nothing from this, of course. It has been out of print for a very long time, so I guess I'm flattered that someone cared enough to rip apart their paperback copy and scan the pages.
No, I don't need to see all the posts about what Mr. T is going to do, come January. Here's the deal: I can't do a fucking thing about it, and I would much prefer to enjoy my day. I'm totally not interested in feeling miserable or frightened.
November 18, 2024 at 4:33 PM
No, I don't need to see all the posts about what Mr. T is going to do, come January. Here's the deal: I can't do a fucking thing about it, and I would much prefer to enjoy my day. I'm totally not interested in feeling miserable or frightened.
Binge-reading Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels. I've read them all before, but they're like comfort food for the brain: very soothing.
November 18, 2024 at 5:23 AM
Binge-reading Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels. I've read them all before, but they're like comfort food for the brain: very soothing.
Tonight I got to reflecting on how my years at Keyboard affected my fiction writing. It was an extra gift that at the time I didn't know I was getting. midiguru.wordpress.com/2024/11/17/p...
Pragmatism vs. Passion
As an author of fiction, I have perhaps an unfair advantage over many or most aspiring authors. For more than 25 years I was a staff writer and editor at a successful monthly magazine. We published…
midiguru.wordpress.com
November 18, 2024 at 5:21 AM
Tonight I got to reflecting on how my years at Keyboard affected my fiction writing. It was an extra gift that at the time I didn't know I was getting. midiguru.wordpress.com/2024/11/17/p...
I might want to do a tutorial series on electronic music technology. Possibly start with VCV Rack, or talk about free VST synthesizers, or maybe explain MIDI for people who are new. Should I use my blog? My YouTube channel? What topics should I focus on? Comments welcome.
November 16, 2024 at 8:59 PM
I might want to do a tutorial series on electronic music technology. Possibly start with VCV Rack, or talk about free VST synthesizers, or maybe explain MIDI for people who are new. Should I use my blog? My YouTube channel? What topics should I focus on? Comments welcome.
What is this "Invalid Handle" thing? I'm not the only one whose account is now tagged that way. How do I fix it? What's invalid about it? If it's invalid, why didn't the software reject it when I set up the account?
November 14, 2024 at 5:44 PM
What is this "Invalid Handle" thing? I'm not the only one whose account is now tagged that way. How do I fix it? What's invalid about it? If it's invalid, why didn't the software reject it when I set up the account?
Thinking vaguely about writing a big tutorial about computer music making. But what exactly to put in it is not easy to imagine. There are thousands of software tools, and thousands of people who need help with them. Where to start?
November 14, 2024 at 5:37 PM
Thinking vaguely about writing a big tutorial about computer music making. But what exactly to put in it is not easy to imagine. There are thousands of software tools, and thousands of people who need help with them. Where to start?
When I signed up for bluesky I indicated "Art" as one of my interests. Turns out that's people posting cartoons. I've searched, and I don't see any option to stop liking Art. How do I do it?
November 12, 2024 at 11:43 PM
When I signed up for bluesky I indicated "Art" as one of my interests. Turns out that's people posting cartoons. I've searched, and I don't see any option to stop liking Art. How do I do it?
In need of some distraction, I decided to read Barnaby Rudge. Dickens's characters and prose are wonderful!📚💙
November 12, 2024 at 3:59 AM
In need of some distraction, I decided to read Barnaby Rudge. Dickens's characters and prose are wonderful!📚💙