Less a Poseidon, more Hades himself

[sovay]

Normally even my nightmares have some narrative to them, but almost all I remember of last night's is the grey curve of a shingle beach and the grey blocks of a nuclear power station. It wasn't Derek Jarman's Dungeness, I knew that even in the dream. I was standing on the far side of a wall of chain-link and razor wire with the sea-wind snapping clear through it at us. Awake, I consider the other half of that first person plural to have resembled one of Sapphire & Steel's Elements, although in the dream they just registered to me as a grey-suited male-looking person with a brushed hood of hair the color of dark rust. They had picked up a handful of sea-polished pebbles and were stirring them with a finger as if looking for something and the small shifting clicks as they slid together were a terrible sound. Everything felt storm-coming charged, even though the air smelled cleanly of salt and the sky was a clear sweep of autumn with thick clouds far out over the water, sail-white in the sun. I don't believe the power station was itself in any way involved.

In general I consider it a mitzvah to confuse the advertising algorithms of Facebook, but I can't figure out what I've done to create the current progression. A few weeks ago it was advertising me diapers and other accoutrements of new parenthood. I suppose because I didn't respond like a grateful new mother, it started advertising me IUDs. I didn't respond to those, either. As of last night, I'm getting ads for T. I do not, for the record, post about my biology on Facebook, beyond the fact that it can presumably detect from my photos that I have some. I am fascinated by this sliding scale of assumptions.

I am back to feeling like I spend too much of my time barely existing, which is very familiar and very frustrating. I can't believe we're almost into October. I thought my birthday was much farther off. I thought that about the High Holidays, too.

Comments

[choco_frosh]

I am back to feeling like I spend too much of my time barely existing, which is very familiar and very frustrating.

< sad > >

I thought my birthday was much farther off

Right: let me know what you want for your birthday, if anything!
(That last modifier because I know the feeling of "Nothing anyone mortal can give me" fairly well. OTOH, Soloniki presumably does gift certificates, right?)

[isis]

Hee! Even if you don't know what you're doing to confuse the algorithm, you're doing an excellent job!

[gwynnega]

The algorithm mostly wants to sell me alcohol of late, which is fair enough.

[lilysea]

The algorithm wanted to sell me makeup and shampoo and hair dye.

Nope, I said.

It then decided I wanted tractors and prize stud bulls for breeding my [non-existent] cattle with.

Nope, I said.

It then decided I was a practicing psychologist interested in continued professional development classes.

[kenjari]

the grey curve of a shingle beach and the grey blocks of a nuclear power station

That sounds eerily like you visited part of my hometown in your dreams. And for the record, the place kind of is a nightmare, so it fits.

My favorite Facebook ad algorithm experience was when, after months of weight-loss ads, I got one for an anorexia study.

[radiantfracture]

That's a fascinating set of pitches from the algorithm -- surprisingly narrative. Maybe what it knows is that you're a writer.

[ashlyme]

Normally I'd think the landscape of this dream would be a safe place for you. I'm sorry it wasn't. *hugs* The way you describe this figure shifting the pebbles in their hand made me think of a metronome, or the beads of an abacus.

Ohh, Facebook algorithms! I use a basic mobile version that filters out the adverts, but then I get inappropriate page recommendations. Some vaguely amusing (for eighties Cockney novelty-pop acts) to the "what the hell" (the TERF group it though I should join. Nope nope fuckety nope).

[lauradi7dw]

Continuing to be grateful to have nothing to do with Facebook. Twitter tries to sell me pizza, hard seltzer (which is what, exactly?), and credit cards, more or less.
Speaking of algorithms (of a different sort), I have started donating to this group
https://www.ajl.org/

[sovay]

(That last modifier because I know the feeling of "Nothing anyone mortal can give me" fairly well. OTOH, Soloniki presumably does gift certificates, right?)

Yes, apparently. It is true that I have quite a number of more than mortal requests. At this point they might just be demands. Or serious side-eye.

*hugs*

[sovay]

Hee! Even if you don't know what you're doing to confuse the algorithm, you're doing an excellent job!

Thank you! It does feel like an achievement.

[sovay]

The algorithm mostly wants to sell me alcohol of late, which is fair enough.

It's going to work on a lot of people.

[sovay]

It then decided I wanted tractors and prize stud bulls for breeding my [non-existent] cattle with.

I cracked up.

[sovay]

That sounds eerily like you visited part of my hometown in your dreams. And for the record, the place kind of is a nightmare, so it fits.

Based on my dream-experience, would it be rude to offer condolences?

My favorite Facebook ad algorithm experience was when, after months of weight-loss ads, I got one for an anorexia study.

That's amazing.

[sovay]

That's a fascinating set of pitches from the algorithm -- surprisingly narrative. Maybe what it knows is that you're a writer.

It's true that I make no effort to conceal that.

[sovay]

Normally I'd think the landscape of this dream would be a safe place for you. I'm sorry it wasn't.

Yeah, anything within scent of the ocean is usually a plus! I may have to write something out of this one in order to exorcise it.

The way you describe this figure shifting the pebbles in their hand made me think of a metronome, or the beads of an abacus.

I like that.

*hugs*

Ohh, Facebook algorithms! I use a basic mobile version that filters out the adverts, but then I get inappropriate page recommendations. Some vaguely amusing (for eighties Cockney novelty-pop acts) to the "what the hell" (the TERF group it though I should join. Nope nope fuckety nope).

Aaaaaaaagh what. Join the '80's Cockney novelty-pop act instead.

[sovay]

Twitter tries to sell me pizza, hard seltzer (which is what, exactly?), and credit cards, more or less.

I don't think I'd heard about hard seltzer. Watered-down alcohol with bubbles in? I have no idea of the attraction.

Speaking of algorithms (of a different sort), I have started donating to this group

I had definitely not heard of them, but their existence makes me happier to know about. Thank you!