Simon Smith
@sitorimon.bsky.social
Creator behind Higher Plain Music, Higher Plain Games, I Love Disaster Movies and various other indie creative projects. Content and service designer by day. Indie games / music for the soul.
When YouTube very randomly promotes a niche video. Appreciate the exposure, but it is such a strange video to throw into the mainstream. First time in about 5 years anything has been picked up for a wider audience test.
November 8, 2025 at 2:23 PM
When YouTube very randomly promotes a niche video. Appreciate the exposure, but it is such a strange video to throw into the mainstream. First time in about 5 years anything has been picked up for a wider audience test.
Muting ai art forever is one step closer towards better mental health today.
October 20, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Muting ai art forever is one step closer towards better mental health today.
The enshitification of the community elements of YouTube continues as the comments box gets small and thin. Often, it looks totally empty on the latest update. I hate it. It is a UX study in real time.
Also ShiliASMR is still goated.
Also ShiliASMR is still goated.
October 12, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The enshitification of the community elements of YouTube continues as the comments box gets small and thin. Often, it looks totally empty on the latest update. I hate it. It is a UX study in real time.
Also ShiliASMR is still goated.
Also ShiliASMR is still goated.
The odd state of YouTube discovery where my video about a games handling model is well on course to get double the views of the initial review! I know its a shorter video, but I generally don't find video length to be a huge influence on my own channels views.
October 8, 2025 at 9:50 PM
The odd state of YouTube discovery where my video about a games handling model is well on course to get double the views of the initial review! I know its a shorter video, but I generally don't find video length to be a huge influence on my own channels views.
Trust my internet to conk out when a new Tori Amos album and tour are announced!
The tour poster looks like a Final Fantasy side quest mega boss and I am here for it.
The tour poster looks like a Final Fantasy side quest mega boss and I am here for it.
October 7, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Trust my internet to conk out when a new Tori Amos album and tour are announced!
The tour poster looks like a Final Fantasy side quest mega boss and I am here for it.
The tour poster looks like a Final Fantasy side quest mega boss and I am here for it.
LinkedIn's hellscape gets even worse as it'll use your profile/data for gen-AI training. Seems easy enough to turn off, but I wonder how effective that really is in a morally bankrupt world...
September 21, 2025 at 3:09 PM
LinkedIn's hellscape gets even worse as it'll use your profile/data for gen-AI training. Seems easy enough to turn off, but I wonder how effective that really is in a morally bankrupt world...
The #Enshitification of the internet continues. I don't own or use a VPN but in order to access any sports videos on YouTube, you are forced to share location data. A sad data claw, invasion of privacy, and step back to regional rules in a global world. Anti consumer. Anti trust.
September 7, 2025 at 5:31 PM
The #Enshitification of the internet continues. I don't own or use a VPN but in order to access any sports videos on YouTube, you are forced to share location data. A sad data claw, invasion of privacy, and step back to regional rules in a global world. Anti consumer. Anti trust.
Everybody's Golf Hot Shots has arrived! Wahoo. Hope it's another great entry in the series...
September 6, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Everybody's Golf Hot Shots has arrived! Wahoo. Hope it's another great entry in the series...
E-On, just because the Ofgem price cap has increased, that doesn't automatically mean your prices should rise to match that cap. The way these email notifications are worded is deceptive and abhorrent.
The email is titled "Simon, your prices are going up." What a sorry state of business.
The email is titled "Simon, your prices are going up." What a sorry state of business.
September 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM
E-On, just because the Ofgem price cap has increased, that doesn't automatically mean your prices should rise to match that cap. The way these email notifications are worded is deceptive and abhorrent.
The email is titled "Simon, your prices are going up." What a sorry state of business.
The email is titled "Simon, your prices are going up." What a sorry state of business.
Wow. One more year, and I can take Higher Plain Games to the pub!
September 3, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Wow. One more year, and I can take Higher Plain Games to the pub!
Accidently took a photo that I think is a future album press pic.
August 25, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Accidently took a photo that I think is a future album press pic.
I need this Vivi mug cup <3 The hat comes off and everything. I'll never drink from it, but it will be mine!
May 20, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I need this Vivi mug cup <3 The hat comes off and everything. I'll never drink from it, but it will be mine!
Goodbye Soundcloud. I will not support a product that is not transparent about its AI learning and generation practices.
May 12, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Goodbye Soundcloud. I will not support a product that is not transparent about its AI learning and generation practices.
Part of my day job is content design, so I want to make more of an effort to talk about that field (user experience, service design etc). Today I received a survey and it's the first time I've seen the toggle function used for every question. Thankfully, you can only turn one option on at a time!
April 16, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Part of my day job is content design, so I want to make more of an effort to talk about that field (user experience, service design etc). Today I received a survey and it's the first time I've seen the toggle function used for every question. Thankfully, you can only turn one option on at a time!
It finally arrived! Tori and the Muses in book form. Plinky plonk.
April 8, 2025 at 4:47 PM
It finally arrived! Tori and the Muses in book form. Plinky plonk.
I love accidently spotting things I've written quoted in the wild. I never know who reads any of it so when I see Higher Plain Music or Higher Plain Games quotes on websites, posters, press kits, game pages etc it makes it all worthwhile.
March 3, 2025 at 8:50 AM
I love accidently spotting things I've written quoted in the wild. I never know who reads any of it so when I see Higher Plain Music or Higher Plain Games quotes on websites, posters, press kits, game pages etc it makes it all worthwhile.
This is my local MP's response to my request for support for creative artists who are being pushed aside in favour of AI.
The UK Government's Generative AI / Copyright consultation for creative works is still open for comment. I'll post my submission publicly soon.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
The UK Government's Generative AI / Copyright consultation for creative works is still open for comment. I'll post my submission publicly soon.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
February 12, 2025 at 6:41 PM
This is my local MP's response to my request for support for creative artists who are being pushed aside in favour of AI.
The UK Government's Generative AI / Copyright consultation for creative works is still open for comment. I'll post my submission publicly soon.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
The UK Government's Generative AI / Copyright consultation for creative works is still open for comment. I'll post my submission publicly soon.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
Love it when AI adds key moments to videos several minutes after the video finishes. The continued collapse of our Internet information is so depressing and completely avoidable if tech was being used responsibly.
February 4, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Love it when AI adds key moments to videos several minutes after the video finishes. The continued collapse of our Internet information is so depressing and completely avoidable if tech was being used responsibly.
I always think of Austin Wintry about to drop some kind of mega mix of his works to date when I see "Wintry Mix" on my weather app.
January 4, 2025 at 10:20 AM
I always think of Austin Wintry about to drop some kind of mega mix of his works to date when I see "Wintry Mix" on my weather app.
Last.FM stats showing my allegiance to all things Tori Amos. There aren't many things I'm in the top 1% on but listening to Tori's music will be one of them haha.
January 2, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Last.FM stats showing my allegiance to all things Tori Amos. There aren't many things I'm in the top 1% on but listening to Tori's music will be one of them haha.
Postie has delivered the goods. Time for a Tori Amos evening as I wade through about 300 Bandcamp Friday emails. It sounds so crisp and clear, I need more tours getting this treatment pretty please.
December 6, 2024 at 4:58 PM
Postie has delivered the goods. Time for a Tori Amos evening as I wade through about 300 Bandcamp Friday emails. It sounds so crisp and clear, I need more tours getting this treatment pretty please.
My latest #vgm #gamemusic haul. I didn't even know the Final Fnatasy VII Rebirth Gold Saucer disc existed! Happy bunny and lovely to have some CDs too.
November 28, 2024 at 6:47 PM
My latest #vgm #gamemusic haul. I didn't even know the Final Fnatasy VII Rebirth Gold Saucer disc existed! Happy bunny and lovely to have some CDs too.