Samifer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
javert) wrote2025-08-09 08:50 pm
javert) wrote2025-08-09 08:50 pm
everyone should make a little guy. i think
Little guy face reveal!!!!!!!!
You can open the pictures in another tab to examine them more thoroughly... I don't know if I'd do that if I were you tho...
( Little guy talk under this cut. )
Wplace update: I drew Uboa to go with someone else's Gaster, and they even helped me fill out the white parts 💗 they're besties!!!
You can open the pictures in another tab to examine them more thoroughly... I don't know if I'd do that if I were you tho...
( Little guy talk under this cut. )
Wplace update: I drew Uboa to go with someone else's Gaster, and they even helped me fill out the white parts 💗 they're besties!!!
nilla (meningioma) wrote2025-08-09 02:34 pm
meningioma) wrote2025-08-09 02:34 pmEntry tags:
DEBIAN 13!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT COMES WITH XFCE 4.20 FUUUUCK YEEEEESSSS I LOVE XFCE 420
eller (eller) wrote2025-08-09 01:19 pm
eller) wrote2025-08-09 01:19 pmEntry tags:
The watercolor-making project goes on...
...or: more fun with chemistry. I have to do something useful with my skills after all! XD So, here's my newest color, "Living Tree".
This time, it's supposed to look like leaves - with a bit of granulation to make botanical painting more convenient. I can already predict I'm going to use this color quite often. Maybe the next project is going to be a sky blue - then I have an (almost) complete landscape set!
This time, it's supposed to look like leaves - with a bit of granulation to make botanical painting more convenient. I can already predict I'm going to use this color quite often. Maybe the next project is going to be a sky blue - then I have an (almost) complete landscape set!
scifirenegade (scifirenegade) wrote2025-08-09 11:25 am
scifirenegade) wrote2025-08-09 11:25 am
Entry tags:
(no subject)
Since Alamy deleted the Ida Lupino and Conrad Veidt having a time seperately either before or after their A Woman's Face radio recording, it's now on the Internet Archive :)
chiaroscuros on Pillowfort shouted out the Festival Internacional de Cine Recobrado de Valparaíso. Liebe macht blind has been uncovered, an almost-pristine copy even, and it's going to premiere there. Seems like a fun film. Connie is ridiculous.
During a convo withliadt, I was reminded of something that apparently Connie told Paul Henreid, about only taking the role of Strasser for the money (to give to the Brits, probably). As I tried finding the source, we got this instead.
- Round Up the Usual Suspects: the Making of Casablanca: Bogart, Bergman, and World War II
Files, which are an absolute mess. Bet the "pro-Axis" thing is just plain xenophobia (ya know, ew German), and bet that, had he lived and stayed in America, he would be grey-or-blacklisted like many of his buddies. I'm now scared for Lili (she became an agent in the film industry).
chiaroscuros on Pillowfort shouted out the Festival Internacional de Cine Recobrado de Valparaíso. Liebe macht blind has been uncovered, an almost-pristine copy even, and it's going to premiere there. Seems like a fun film. Connie is ridiculous.
During a convo with
liadt, I was reminded of something that apparently Connie told Paul Henreid, about only taking the role of Strasser for the money (to give to the Brits, probably). As I tried finding the source, we got this instead.Conrad Veidt's [FBI] files manage to have their cake and eat it too. Veidt is accused of having pro-Axis leanings and of being associated with fervent anti-Fascists.
The day that Veidt finished work on Casablanca, July 20, 1942, he had plans for the evening. According to FBI file No. 100-3514, Veidt was to be a speaker at the Free Peoples' Dinner held at the Beverly Hills Hotel under the auspices of the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee and the Council on African Affairs. Guests included the mayor of Los Angeles, the vice-consul of the USSR, Charles Laughton, Major William Wyler, and an FBI agent who detailed the pro-Russian sentiments of the guest of honor, Paul Robeson. Although Veidt's name was on the program, he never showed up. He may have gone out to celebrate the end of his role in Casablanca or simply gone home to bed. But the fact that he was expected to appear is on file forever.
- Round Up the Usual Suspects: the Making of Casablanca: Bogart, Bergman, and World War II
Files, which are an absolute mess. Bet the "pro-Axis" thing is just plain xenophobia (ya know, ew German), and bet that, had he lived and stayed in America, he would be grey-or-blacklisted like many of his buddies. I'm now scared for Lili (she became an agent in the film industry).
a_natural_beauty (a_natural_beauty) wrote2025-08-09 05:42 am
a_natural_beauty) wrote2025-08-09 05:42 am
Entry tags:
Still playing Animal Crossing
So I've still been playing one of my favorite games - Animal crossing New Horizons. I've gotten to a four star rating now which is great news! One goal I still want is to get a stove so I can start cooking meals. Mike as a DIY so he can make one for me if I need to - but I'm hoping I can find one myself or buy one in the store. Also another thing I want to do is pay off the shops on Harv's island - the open air market shops. I've been doing little by little but would like to get them paid off completely soon so I can use those. I haven't gotten any photos of the villagers yet but I'm not too worried about that. It's still been such a nice feel good game, I'm glad I decided to play it again. So far my island has been pretty nice. I'm slowly working on making a playground in the southeast area of my island and I have made a zen garden up in the north east part. Also as I've been getting crops I've been keeping them and making a garden. On my old island I had a graveyard - I may do that again.
I've had villagers come and go over the last couple months. This is my list of characters I have now - Alfonso (he left Mikes island and moved to mine when I had an empty plot one day), Anicotti - who has been with me pretty much since I was able to build the first three houses and is one of my favorites, Bill - who I got from going to an island in search of a new villager and I'm happy with - he's pretty adorable, Butch (who is new to my island but I had in my last game and was a personal favorite so when he moved to my island I was overjoyed), Lucy (she moved to my island after she left Mikes and I've had her quite awhile - she is one of my favorites, too), Moe - who has been around since I built the first three houses in this new game - he's a pretty fun guy), Pancetti - who I found on an island one day in search of a new villager, Shep - he's one of my favorite villagers), Spork - who has been with me a good amount of time, he's pretty cute and lastly Sylvia who is also one of my favorites who I got from Mikes island when she moved away.
There are some animal species I haven't gotten in either game - like the hamsters and horses. Or the big bears - not the cubs. I've been enjoying getting new ones with last game and this one.
At some point I do want to play my other games again like Paleo Pines and Dreamlight valley that I was enjoying. It's been awhile since I have. Are any of you playing any good games these days?
I've had villagers come and go over the last couple months. This is my list of characters I have now - Alfonso (he left Mikes island and moved to mine when I had an empty plot one day), Anicotti - who has been with me pretty much since I was able to build the first three houses and is one of my favorites, Bill - who I got from going to an island in search of a new villager and I'm happy with - he's pretty adorable, Butch (who is new to my island but I had in my last game and was a personal favorite so when he moved to my island I was overjoyed), Lucy (she moved to my island after she left Mikes and I've had her quite awhile - she is one of my favorites, too), Moe - who has been around since I built the first three houses in this new game - he's a pretty fun guy), Pancetti - who I found on an island one day in search of a new villager, Shep - he's one of my favorite villagers), Spork - who has been with me a good amount of time, he's pretty cute and lastly Sylvia who is also one of my favorites who I got from Mikes island when she moved away.
There are some animal species I haven't gotten in either game - like the hamsters and horses. Or the big bears - not the cubs. I've been enjoying getting new ones with last game and this one.
At some point I do want to play my other games again like Paleo Pines and Dreamlight valley that I was enjoying. It's been awhile since I have. Are any of you playing any good games these days?
evilwriter37 (evilwriter37) wrote2025-08-08 09:58 pm
evilwriter37) wrote2025-08-08 09:58 pmEntry tags:
Doing Kinktober 2025! (And a Writing Update)
There's an amazing Kinktober prompt list over at ![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
kinktober-2025
I have a story planned for every prompt. Kind of bouncing around with whatever interests me. I do want to have a fic for every day though!
So far, days 1, 11, and 17 are done, day 2 is almost done (that one got long), day 4 has a first sentence, and day 8 has a document made for it. Very excited about this! It sucks that I can't share the stories immediately. I love sharing my fics!
Also, I currently have 65 ideas on my writing ideas list for HTTYD. I've been feeling really aimless and without goals recently, so I'm just going to have people on tumblr throw random numbers at me, and then I'll write the corresponding fic. I do plan on getting to chapter 19 of Our Time Together at some point. I'm nearing the end of that fic!
I have a story planned for every prompt. Kind of bouncing around with whatever interests me. I do want to have a fic for every day though!
So far, days 1, 11, and 17 are done, day 2 is almost done (that one got long), day 4 has a first sentence, and day 8 has a document made for it. Very excited about this! It sucks that I can't share the stories immediately. I love sharing my fics!
Also, I currently have 65 ideas on my writing ideas list for HTTYD. I've been feeling really aimless and without goals recently, so I'm just going to have people on tumblr throw random numbers at me, and then I'll write the corresponding fic. I do plan on getting to chapter 19 of Our Time Together at some point. I'm nearing the end of that fic!
Capy (paperghost) wrote2025-08-08 06:31 pm
paperghost) wrote2025-08-08 06:31 pmEntry tags:
The Permanent Stain
I really hate to link to something by Andrew Sullivan. I'm aware of his issues ('94...), he's the type of commentator I just read privately for the sake of not having an echo chamber and to roll my eyes or nod at 40% of the time. He's been annoying me half of the time. But today's post hit me hard.
When a disaffected conservative who loves Reagan and Thatcher is in the right (no pun intended), that's really when you need to reconsider who the fuck we elected. (I disagree with the successor part, but whatever. Trump is in awful shape, I don't think MAGA will live after he dies.)
The Permanent Stain
It’s been over a decade now since Grendel emerged from the forest and the metaphors are understandably tired. But a sentence in a recent Mark Helprin piece jogged my amygdala nonetheless. He described the president as someone who “behaves like a wild boar crashing through a field of well-tended crops. (Look carefully at the eyes, and you see it.)”
Yes, you do. Helprin is as far from being a leftist as one might imagine — which, of course, is precisely why he sees the feral glint in Trump’s eyes the way he does. Conservatism is prudent, diligent care for the inheritance of the past, and the shepherding of constitutional democratic governance away from the shoals of dysfunction and ideology. In that sense, Trump is conservatism’s actual nemesis: a wild boar — psychologically incapable of understanding anything but dominance and revenge, with no knowledge of history, crashing obliviously and malevolently through the ruined landscape of our constitutional democracy.
This very Greek tragedy — conservatives killing the Constitution they love because they hate the left more — is made more poignant by Trump’s utter cluelessness: he doesn’t even intend to end the American experiment in self-government and individual freedom. He isn’t that sophisticated. He is ending it simply because he knows no other way of being a human being. He cannot tolerate any system where he does not have total control. Character counts, as conservatives once insisted, and a man with Trump’s psyche, when combined with his demagogic genius, is quite simply incompatible with liberal democratic society. Unfit.
[... blah blah, a lot of recap on the last 8 months and Sullivan's hateboner for Biden, more notable snippets under the cut]
( Read more... )
Yes, you do. Helprin is as far from being a leftist as one might imagine — which, of course, is precisely why he sees the feral glint in Trump’s eyes the way he does. Conservatism is prudent, diligent care for the inheritance of the past, and the shepherding of constitutional democratic governance away from the shoals of dysfunction and ideology. In that sense, Trump is conservatism’s actual nemesis: a wild boar — psychologically incapable of understanding anything but dominance and revenge, with no knowledge of history, crashing obliviously and malevolently through the ruined landscape of our constitutional democracy.
This very Greek tragedy — conservatives killing the Constitution they love because they hate the left more — is made more poignant by Trump’s utter cluelessness: he doesn’t even intend to end the American experiment in self-government and individual freedom. He isn’t that sophisticated. He is ending it simply because he knows no other way of being a human being. He cannot tolerate any system where he does not have total control. Character counts, as conservatives once insisted, and a man with Trump’s psyche, when combined with his demagogic genius, is quite simply incompatible with liberal democratic society. Unfit.
[... blah blah, a lot of recap on the last 8 months and Sullivan's hateboner for Biden, more notable snippets under the cut]
( Read more... )
When a disaffected conservative who loves Reagan and Thatcher is in the right (no pun intended), that's really when you need to reconsider who the fuck we elected. (I disagree with the successor part, but whatever. Trump is in awful shape, I don't think MAGA will live after he dies.)
Samifer (javert) wrote2025-08-08 11:21 pm
javert) wrote2025-08-08 11:21 pm
into the pixelverse
I don't know why all I feel like drawing is pixel art right now, but I don't mind. I'm almost done building the page for my Starter Pokémon clique!! I managed to figure out a way to switch between regular sprites and shiny sprites, which was way too much of a headache for what it was. I was hoping to finish it today, but I'm not 100% satisfied with the background and stuff... I want to sleep on it.
You can have this little preview, though:
I also meant to start signing up for fanlistings to populate my fanlisting collective today, and also didn't get around to doing that. Maybe this can be my week-end mission... Slowly joining the fanlistings I've noted down...
Still pixel art related, I was informed of Wplace's existence through a tumblr post, and immediately made it my mission to populate our current city with Pokémon X&Y stuff, lol. The area we live in turned out to be pretty empty, so I jumped on the occasion, first copying an old Team Flare logo sprite I created over a decade ago:
...and then I decided to copy over the RGB-style sprites of my guys I did, too, for good measure :P
(I've attempted to sort of obscure the map behind the drawings. The result is kinda ugly, but heh.)
Seeing what other people are drawing as they do it is super fun. There are so many Deltarune sprites around, lmao (it was the subject of the tumblr post I saw, even.) So many pride flags too..!!! I kind of want to draw a polyamorous flag next, especially because somebody started drawing Rouxls Kaard and I think it'd be funny to have the flag beside him. :'^) I was also thinking of doing Uboa or other Yume Nikki/.flow stuff... and more Pokémon sprites...
I hope you will forgive a short blaug post today. Wait, before I forget; I did actually finish working on my little guy sculpture!!! I wanna take pictures of him tomorrow in natural light, because he always ends up looking like he has jaundice when I take pics in the evening lmao. So maybe that'll be the topic of tomorrow's paust.
By the way, if you check out Wplace, I'd love to know what kind of drawings people are making in your area! 👀
You can have this little preview, though:
I also meant to start signing up for fanlistings to populate my fanlisting collective today, and also didn't get around to doing that. Maybe this can be my week-end mission... Slowly joining the fanlistings I've noted down...
Still pixel art related, I was informed of Wplace's existence through a tumblr post, and immediately made it my mission to populate our current city with Pokémon X&Y stuff, lol. The area we live in turned out to be pretty empty, so I jumped on the occasion, first copying an old Team Flare logo sprite I created over a decade ago:
...and then I decided to copy over the RGB-style sprites of my guys I did, too, for good measure :P
(I've attempted to sort of obscure the map behind the drawings. The result is kinda ugly, but heh.)
Seeing what other people are drawing as they do it is super fun. There are so many Deltarune sprites around, lmao (it was the subject of the tumblr post I saw, even.) So many pride flags too..!!! I kind of want to draw a polyamorous flag next, especially because somebody started drawing Rouxls Kaard and I think it'd be funny to have the flag beside him. :'^) I was also thinking of doing Uboa or other Yume Nikki/.flow stuff... and more Pokémon sprites...
I hope you will forgive a short blaug post today. Wait, before I forget; I did actually finish working on my little guy sculpture!!! I wanna take pictures of him tomorrow in natural light, because he always ends up looking like he has jaundice when I take pics in the evening lmao. So maybe that'll be the topic of tomorrow's paust.
By the way, if you check out Wplace, I'd love to know what kind of drawings people are making in your area! 👀
Capy (paperghost) wrote2025-08-08 07:45 am
paperghost) wrote2025-08-08 07:45 amEntry tags:
upd8
From the Neocities feed:
Here's a tutorial on deploying to Neocities I found that's pretty good, by the way.
I took the review I did for Game Change (HBO drama based on the 2008 election) offline for a few days because I finished the book last week and thought deleting it would motivate me to update with how I felt about that. It didn't, I have such little interest in upkeeping this site. Not a loss because I really want to forget about this political climate.
I don't even think the page was all that controversial and neither was the update with info from the book I was chipping at, but every day I wish the joy and investment I had in "smallweb" or whatever in 2022-2023 would come back. If I'm not reminded that my ex was my main inspiration and motivator, I just don't see a point in "making" anything because the same Twitter doomscrollers are there. This can be chalked up to just "depression" or whatever, but I really hate this. I feel like I can't express anything without "callout" types on my ass, social media is boring, my usual Discord company I'm also uncomfortable with. I'm tired and I don't know when things will get better.I'm really not feeling the love creativity-wise anymore, and the past 15 months on top of how much of a pain it is to upload/update my art, I'm really tired. This is why I've been slow to respond to emails, I'm really frustrated and tired of this sphere lately.
If I wasn't such a workaholic I'd take this as a cue to look into Github push updates, but I don't even care at this point. I'll upload art drawn for me last month some other time.
Here's a tutorial on deploying to Neocities I found that's pretty good, by the way.
radiantfracture (radiantfracture) wrote2025-08-07 08:36 pm
radiantfracture) wrote2025-08-07 08:36 pmMore from Okanagan Backroads Volume One
Old Fairview: White Lake Observatory
Mile 12.1 (4.4) – Half a mile further along, the access to White Lake Observatory turns right. (White Lake itself is the alkali pond opposite the Twin Lakes turnoff.)
Because of their electrical systems, which interfere with the operation of the radio-telescope, cars are not allowed on the road to the radio telescope. The big dish itself towers above the other installations, listening eternally to signals from outer space. The maze of poles and overhead wiring back towards Oliver are another form of radio-telescope, which pick up very long radio waves. The observatory is well worth walking the three-tenths mile; what's happening is completely incomprehensible to the layman, but fascinating nonetheless.
(1975/77)
* * * * * *
This observatory still exists, under the rather grander name of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory. It is, so the government website tells me, "an internationally renowned facility for radio astronomy and leading-edge instrumentation." Until just now, I had no idea that it existed.
DRAO is still, naturally, a radio-quiet site, which must be more difficult these days than in 1975.
Dave Stewart, author of Okanagan Backroads, is quite right about its fascination. I am absolutely a lay person, and yet statements like this are weirdly thrilling: "The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is Canada's largest radio telescope. ... CHIME has no moving parts, but the Earth's rotation allows the telescope to map all of Canada's visible sky every day. CHIME was designed to survey atomic hydrogen from the largest volume of the Universe to date." No real idea why that would be important to do (feel free to explain!), but I'm glad it's happening here.
They have a Perseids viewing party next week!
§rf§
Source: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/nrc-facilities/dominion-radio-astrophysical-observatory-research-facility
Mile 12.1 (4.4) – Half a mile further along, the access to White Lake Observatory turns right. (White Lake itself is the alkali pond opposite the Twin Lakes turnoff.)
Because of their electrical systems, which interfere with the operation of the radio-telescope, cars are not allowed on the road to the radio telescope. The big dish itself towers above the other installations, listening eternally to signals from outer space. The maze of poles and overhead wiring back towards Oliver are another form of radio-telescope, which pick up very long radio waves. The observatory is well worth walking the three-tenths mile; what's happening is completely incomprehensible to the layman, but fascinating nonetheless.
(1975/77)
* * * * * *
This observatory still exists, under the rather grander name of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory. It is, so the government website tells me, "an internationally renowned facility for radio astronomy and leading-edge instrumentation." Until just now, I had no idea that it existed.
DRAO is still, naturally, a radio-quiet site, which must be more difficult these days than in 1975.
Dave Stewart, author of Okanagan Backroads, is quite right about its fascination. I am absolutely a lay person, and yet statements like this are weirdly thrilling: "The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is Canada's largest radio telescope. ... CHIME has no moving parts, but the Earth's rotation allows the telescope to map all of Canada's visible sky every day. CHIME was designed to survey atomic hydrogen from the largest volume of the Universe to date." No real idea why that would be important to do (feel free to explain!), but I'm glad it's happening here.
They have a Perseids viewing party next week!
§rf§
Source: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/nrc-facilities/dominion-radio-astrophysical-observatory-research-facility
Samifer (javert) wrote2025-08-07 10:19 pm
javert) wrote2025-08-07 10:19 pm
sortir de la french race...
Je faisais la vaisselle et puis ça m'a frappé en pleine face comme une tarte dans la gueule: je peux écrire certains de ces posts de blog en français mdr. De là j'ai commencé à réfléchir à la place que le français et mon identité en tant que personne française prennent dans ma vie. (Et puis j'étais en train d'écouter un extrait de live de Roro où il parlait de la rat race d'où le titre qui n'a ràv.)
Le principal problème si je fais ça c'est que personne ne va pouvoir répondre PTDR mais c'est pas très grave finalement. On fait survivre sa culture comme on peut... Dirons-nous...
( Dire qu'à une époque je blogguais exclusivement dans cette langue. )
ANYWAYZ... I drew this little Lysandre sprite for a page on my old Neocities announcing that I moved hosts, so you can look at him if you'd like. This is your reward for suffering through my Frenchness.
Le principal problème si je fais ça c'est que personne ne va pouvoir répondre PTDR mais c'est pas très grave finalement. On fait survivre sa culture comme on peut... Dirons-nous...
( Dire qu'à une époque je blogguais exclusivement dans cette langue. )
ANYWAYZ... I drew this little Lysandre sprite for a page on my old Neocities announcing that I moved hosts, so you can look at him if you'd like. This is your reward for suffering through my Frenchness.
mific (mific) wrote2025-08-07 10:31 pm
mific) wrote2025-08-07 10:31 pmEntry tags:
Goddamn scammers. This is a PSA - watch out for this bullshit
I was almost scammed yesterday. Got a phone call ostensibly from my bank and he (UK accent, slightly unusual but not impossible) launched right away into reassurance that he wasn't going to ask for my PIN or account details. Said he was from my bank's fraud dept and my credit card had been used for a transaction for over $1800.00 in Singapore, so as they knew I lived in Auckland, he was checking I wasn't on vacation there. I said no I wasn't.
He assured me they would block the payment, but said that unfortunately as someone had my card details, the bank would have to cancel my card and mail me a replacement. I moaned a bit about the hassle. Then he said he needed me to check my texts as there should be one related to the scam transaction. There was. Then he said could I read out the 6 digit authorisation number so he could cancel it. But the authorisation number had only 4 digits, so I got suspicious, told him I'd call my bank, and disconnected. Would I have fallen for it if he'd got the number of digits right? I hope not, but am unsure.
Sure enough it was a scam, and my bank's fraud dept hadn't contacted me. There was a small sum the scammer had tried to charge to my card, and my bank said if I'd given him the authorisation number he'd in fact have charged a huge amount to my card. The bad news is that the bank still have to cancel my card, and the REALLY ANNOYING news is that they're based in both Aussie and NZ and their new procedure is to mail my new card from fucking Australia, not locally. I know from past experience that mail from Aussie can take bloody weeks, so that's a huge bummer. (They say max. 2 weeks but I don't believe it). I have several payments automatically set up on my card and they're going to start bouncing.
Anyway, I'll just be over here gnashing my teeth, but be aware of this scam - they're very slick and believable. Don't ever give anyone purporting to be from your bank a texted (etc.) transaction authorisation number, no matter how small the amount is. In fact, don't do anything at all if "your bank" calls you. Hang up and call your bank to check.
He assured me they would block the payment, but said that unfortunately as someone had my card details, the bank would have to cancel my card and mail me a replacement. I moaned a bit about the hassle. Then he said he needed me to check my texts as there should be one related to the scam transaction. There was. Then he said could I read out the 6 digit authorisation number so he could cancel it. But the authorisation number had only 4 digits, so I got suspicious, told him I'd call my bank, and disconnected. Would I have fallen for it if he'd got the number of digits right? I hope not, but am unsure.
Sure enough it was a scam, and my bank's fraud dept hadn't contacted me. There was a small sum the scammer had tried to charge to my card, and my bank said if I'd given him the authorisation number he'd in fact have charged a huge amount to my card. The bad news is that the bank still have to cancel my card, and the REALLY ANNOYING news is that they're based in both Aussie and NZ and their new procedure is to mail my new card from fucking Australia, not locally. I know from past experience that mail from Aussie can take bloody weeks, so that's a huge bummer. (They say max. 2 weeks but I don't believe it). I have several payments automatically set up on my card and they're going to start bouncing.
Anyway, I'll just be over here gnashing my teeth, but be aware of this scam - they're very slick and believable. Don't ever give anyone purporting to be from your bank a texted (etc.) transaction authorisation number, no matter how small the amount is. In fact, don't do anything at all if "your bank" calls you. Hang up and call your bank to check.