https://z-lib.sk/book/Gz3XEwNOqE/the-safavid-world.html

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5900186&forum_id=2#50112812)

I randomly stumbled across the 50th anniversary of 2001 a space odyssey circa 2018 at the Hollywood Arc Light when it was still around (pre-pandemic obviously) and the sheer optimism for the future - not just in the movie itself but the culture which produced it - blew my mind, retrofuturistic nostalgia tp

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5900186&forum_id=2#50113561)

18000000000000

made my day ty

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5900186&forum_id=2#50113566)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20663748-infrastructure

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5900186&forum_id=2#50113691)

edit: also, i am a bit sad after this week because my favorite vacation i've ever taken was our very first trip to ocean city, md with our older (and then our only) son in 2017. he was 2 1/2 years old, and he was completely filled with wonder at everything. it was really amazing seeing that unfold. we have a video of him on the teacup ride just going bonkers with excitement.

he's still a loveable kid, but he's 11 now growing up too fast. he told our younger son (8 years old) to come up to me and ask what "cuck" meant lol. (that said, he did this with the word "faggot" 3 years ago and it was utterly hilarious). i realized today on the drive home that we have maybe 3-4 more years where he's still excited about going to the beach and riding the rides and all the stuff we've turned into a tradition as a family. not too far off from now, he will still want to go to the beach but will tell his little brother to hang out with mom and dad while he goes off and does whatever, like fingerbangs some girl he met on the boardwalk.

it's bittersweet. you want your kids to grow up and become their own person, but it's hard to let go. he started middle school this year, and i walked him to the bus the first day (first time he's riding the bus), and his eyes lit up when he saw his friends at the stop and just a few years ago his eyes would light up when he and i did stuff together. now i'm becoming a guy who's just his dad. normal, but it kinda sucks. he actually specifically asked us not to walk him to the bus stop after the first day of school.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5900186&forum_id=2#50121108)