steve
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Post by steve on Jun 8, 2024 12:22:15 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I always cringe whenever interior snobs always think that there's nothing to do in a colony. There's plenty to do! I'm part of the Volunteer Maintenance Staff in our colony and there's always -- ALWAYS -- stuff to do. This could be a 24/7 job for a full staff and you wouldn't be able to accomplish everything."
"Just the other day, we had to dismantle and completely clean one of the environmental circulation systems in the colony. There are redundancies for everything so it wasn't that big of a deal (no one was dying of oxygen or lack of air conditioning or anything). They are a pain to completely disassemble, though, and reassemble. Some parts you just can't clean; Mainly filters and other parts that have a clear lifespan."
"And there's a time limit, too - You can't just start these projects and work on them whenever you feel like. If you take a system offline, you have to put it back online by a certain time unless there's a very good reason for doing so. In our case, though, it was a simple cleaning and reassembly. Nothing was broken, nothing was worn. The stuff that had to be replaced were replaced. The worse thing about these things are the dust and the grime. Ick."
"Being a part of the VMS has given me an appreciation for how much goes into a society. There's a lot of moving parts and stuff that you're just not aware of every single day. It can be kind of intimidating at times, thinking of how much everything has to go right just to flip a light switch and for a light to come on."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 10, 2024 13:20:53 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"The whole colony is under a virus watch at the moment. That absolutely sucks."
"I suppose that this is one of the few times where being an interior snob is worth it. When you're on the interior, if someone beside you has a cold, that's no big deal. When you're in a colony, though, and someone gets sick like that... Well, it's a crisis. I've mentioned it before that our colony is just one, big cylindrical skyscraper that's sunk into the ground. If one person gets a cold or a flu, EVERYONE will get it unless you stop that spread quickly."
"On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being minimal to no exposure, 5 being you've got the plague), I'm a 2 at the moment. Only people who are at a 1 is allowed to mingle and go about their day. They're currently working on a vaccine but, in the meanwhile, I've self-isolated. If you're a little kid, you can't really self-isolate and your WHOLE family has to self-isolate instead. However, I'm old enough to where I can self-isolate by myself. You're given a glorified bedroom/bathroom area and have to live in there until you go back to 1. Sometimes we call them the 'Luxurious Jail Cells' (my friends and I call them 'the rat cages') but I don't mind; I've done this before. School is remote and everyone is cool with it. It'd be weird if you had never done this."
"The vaccine will be developed soon, everyone will receive it and everyone will get back to their normal lives."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 12, 2024 14:58:26 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Yeah, I've got it. This sucks."
"It hit me last night and it hit HARD. They've already traced the source to some water that was imported to us the last time we were moonside. And before you ask why we imported water... Don't ask. I'm too tired and sick to explain at the moment. We DIDN'T import the water but... It's a long story. Later."
"Anyway, I'm really sick at the moment. I can't really concentrate. Good news is I'm getting the vaccine in a few hours."
"I'm going to get some rest. Good night."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 14, 2024 13:03:07 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Vomiting sucks. It most definitely sucks."
"I got the vaccine and I already feel better. I don't know if that's the vaccine or if the virus is already past. Maybe both, I dunno."
"I have to stay in quarantine for the next 3 days. That sucks."
"F**k the damn interior for giving us this s**t!"
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 16, 2024 10:56:04 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I'm out of quarantine. I'm not 100% but I'm pretty close. I'm writing this while taking a break from homework."
"OK, let's get this out of the way - We didn't 'import' water. We can make our own water. We can pretty much make our own everything when it comes to the basics. Food, medicine, clothing, etc. so forth."
"However, the Federation isn't a communist utopia. It's not a capitalist utopia, either, or even an utopia in general. There are private companies and those private companies (all on the interior, go figure) want to make money off of us (the colonies). However, how do you get us to buy your stupid crap when we've got a lot of the basics already? How do you get us to buy your gourmet chocolate chip cookies when we can make our own?"
"Simple - You give us a batch of your cookies for free as a sample. I'm not joking; You would not believe the amount of stupid free s**t we get from companies all of the time. It is utter bonkers. Some of it we have to throw out because it violates rules of one type or another. However, we get a lot of it and usually it gets shipped down to us from The Moon when we're moonside."
"The water from some stupid company was contaminated. Ugh. Talk about an unforced error."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 18, 2024 13:42:23 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I should write more about the freebies. Our planet gets a ton of that stuff and it's distributed to the five colonies as best as possible (and, of course, The Moon gets its fair share as well)."
"Believe it or not, most of it is garbage. I mean, it's not *junk* but it's just branded stuff designed to foster brand recognition. For instance, instead of a normal ruler, it's a ruler with a logo on it. We don't usually get a lot of premium stuff and, when we do, there's obviously not enough for them to go around and so there's usually a raffle or a lottery or something like that."
"A bunch of the stuff is religious. No joke - How many times do these f**king morons need to send us copies of The Bible or the Torah or whatever stupid religious document there is? As though we're all a bunch of 'godless heathens' (Actually most of us *are* but don't tell them that...)."
"Oh, and since we're on that topic, you wouldn't believe the inquiries we get from people wanting to move here because they want to start their own little religious paradise. My parents told me one time that a colony ship of around 600 or so people stopped by The Moon and wondered if they could settle on the planet and we were all like, 'You realize that you can't just settle anywhere and there are laws and stuff, right?' And they were like 'But we only follow God's Law...'"
"I swear, grown-ups can be so insane..."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 20, 2024 12:53:30 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I'm kind of 100% again from my illness. So that period of my life totally sucked."
"OK, let me tell you about SFPAPS or Star Fleet (Academy) Pre-Admission Physical Standards. Because, if you're a teenager here on the colonies, you adhere to them because the school adheres to them."
"I can't replace an entire manual(!) but, in brief, it's just a guideline of where you should be physically if you want to enroll in Star Fleet. But it's more than that; It's also dietary guidelines and things like that. And it's free; The electronic version is (you can download it whenever) and you have to pay if you want a fancy, old-timey physical copy (which is stupid since it changes every year)."
"A lot of it is technical but what we really pay attention to is how many push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, etc. you need to do in order to qualify for Star Fleet admission. Because *ALL* of us have to be able to meet those requirements unless you have some sort of disability or whatever. The logic is that we all have to be able to be moved out to make room for other people and the easiest, fastest way is by getting enrolled in Star Fleet."
"It's so stupid. Ugh. I hope that I'm not made to go."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 22, 2024 15:34:02 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Did you know that you could be booted from a colony if you get too old? I'm not joking; It really is possible."
"Truth is, it pays to be healthy if you want to stay. Unlike the interior, we don't have unlimited health care here. When we're sunside, we're isolated. Therefore, before we go sunside, all of the really old seniors leave for The Moon. It kind of sucks but it's also necessary because we just don't have the means of doing really sophisticated surgery at the colony."
"And where do they go once they get to The Moon? Well, honestly, if you go to The Moon because you're old... Hate to be honest but you kind of stay there. I mean... The planet rotates once every 14 or so Terran months so it's not like you're going to go back-and-forth from the colony and then back up to The Moon."
"I mean, from The Moon, a lot of old people are usually shuttled into the interior. Yeah, that's as gross and unfair as it sounds. I don't know much about that world because I'm not that old yet. But, sadly, that's how it has to be."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 24, 2024 13:38:41 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Off that depressing topic, something a bit more lighthearted... The fair!"
"OK, I know there's a lot of activities that go on in the Interior but we have stuff here, too. And the big one, for our colony, is The Fair! It happens once every rotation and it is a Really. Big. Deal. Everyone comes together and shows off everything that they've done and are doing and it's really, really fun. It's almost like, on a certain level, a gargantuan family reunion because you also re-connect with a lot of people who are off-world and serving in Star Fleet and elsewhere."
"I know that other colonies here have fairs but I think that ours is the biggest. There's definitely more enthusiasm than other colonies. The Moon doesn't even have something like this."
"Anyway, we're beginning to prepare for The Fair: Clearing out rooms, getting things set up or poised to be set up. It's going to be awesome."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 26, 2024 12:02:53 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"The Fair is so big that it just kind of goes on for weeks. There's a definite beginning but it just kind of meanders out at the end."
"I'm in a group that is just cleaning everything. OK, confession time: The Fair is sort of also used to get rid of junk. Let me explain: The Fair is always near the time when we start going Moonside. It's during Moonside when we get rid of all of the junk that we can't incinerate. So, in a way, we're beginning to consolidate all of the junk that we have so that we can put it outside and allow the Sun to incinerate it when we rotate back into being Sunside. Clever, huh?"
"Anyway, we're beginning to do that now and, me being a teenager with lots of energy, they have us hauling around stuff to put into rooms designated as junk rooms. Fun."
"So far, so good. No injuries. Nothing too big or heavy. And, since it's going to get incinerated, it doesn't make much difference how damaged it gets."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 28, 2024 12:44:32 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"OK. Maybe I wrote a bit too quickly. Or not."
"Yeah, we put everything into a big pile outside to be incinerated but we do ask around to other colonies if they need this stuff. 99% of the time they say 'no' but, occasionally, they say 'yes.'"
"There are last-minute junk pickers, though. That's fine with us; They want it, they can have it. That's why it's out there."
"Before anyone asks, I don't think it harms the environment because, quite frankly, there IS no environment outside. All that's left is a blackened spot where the stuff used to be and, eventually that fades over time."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jun 30, 2024 10:13:06 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Interior snobs may not think so, but we're probably better Star Fleet personnel than they are on average."
"Want proof? We've got our very own bridge simulator. No joke; It's a really-for-real bridge simulator that actual Star Fleet Academy trainees use. And while it's not a 1:1 replica of any particular Star Fleet vessel bridge (they purposefully aren't), it's Star Fleet certified, meaning that training on this is the exact same as training on whatever they've got at any of the Star Fleet Academies scattered around the Federation."
"Now, you might be thinking, 'but the Interior Snobs have these, too!' and you'd be right. However, there's less entertainment options here and since moving onto Star Fleet is what most of us are going to be doing, we concentrate on this a lot more than your typical Interior Snob. Heck, even I'm good at it. Every colony on the planet has at least one of them. And, before you ask, they're all interconnected so we can play against each other in battles (and those, quite frankly, is fun incarnate!)."
"I only mention this because I just walked past it and saw a bunch of my classmates training on it. They were simulating being in a tug and having to tug an asymmetrical load behind them."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 2, 2024 12:35:11 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I should probably mention the bridge simulators more because they ARE pretty popular down here, especially with the teens and very young adults."
"In our colony there are five 'official' simulators: The 'main' one which is SFAC (Star Fleet Academy Certified) and four other ones which are SFAR (Star Fleet Academy Recognized). I think that the difference is that 'Certified' means that it is exactly the same as what you'd find at a Star Fleet Academy Training Facility and 'Recognized' is the next category down, meaning that it's not 'built' to Academy standards but it still gives the same education training value. It's sort of like the difference between a brand-name soda and a generic brand, I think."
"Anyway, the SFAC one is dead serious. You only get to go there in full Star Fleet uniform. There are adults in the colony who are trained to be advisors and they watch over every simulation. All the parents tape the simulations because they want to see their kids in action, the same way that parents on ancient Terra would film their kids playing sports. We have an unofficial rule that there's no smiling or jokes the moment you step into the simulator."
"Not to say that the SFAR ones are all fun and games; They aren't. It's just that, for some reason, the SFAC one is just taken ever-so-slightly more seriously. I don't know... Even I take it seriously when I'm on there as part of a simulation."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 4, 2024 15:18:35 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"You want to know what's really cool? Not this past Moonside but the one before it, some older classmates from our colony who left for Star Fleet Academy came back (they were on leave) and one of the first things they did was go to the SFAC simulator to run through some of the simulations again. They were wearing their official Star Fleet uniforms and everything. I have to admit that it was WAY cool to see."
"And they aced EVERYTHING on the simulator. Oh my God, they simply floored everything. It was so embarassing. Here we thought we were all awesome and they just torched all of us (most definitely on the battle simulations). However, they were all very humble about it. They told us that, for our age and training, we did perfectly fine and to not feel bad about our performances. They showed us some of the techniques that they had learned."
"It was definitely nice to see them and for them to tell us about what Star Fleet Academy was like."
"I really don't want to leave home."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 6, 2024 16:29:40 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I haven't been writing about preparing for The Fair. I don't know; There's nothing to really 'write' about it."
"You basically just clean everything. And then clean it again. And again. And again. And again."
"And then, during The Fair, you clean everything. And keep cleaning it. Over and over and over again."
"And then, after The Fair is over and just before we're officially Moonside, all we do is clean."
"See a trend yet?"
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 8, 2024 12:22:29 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I don't ever have anything useful for The Fair. It's not like I make sweaters or bake something. I know that, as a little kid, your teachers have you make something or present something just so that grown-ups can look and smile and appreciate it. I know that, for one Fair, our class had to clean up a section of the colony and we took pictures and made videos and things like that. They're still doing that for the younger kids this time around, too."
"One of my friends is into old-styled puppetry and I've been helping her with her project for the Fair which is some sort of show. I'm not really good at it; I'm just a background character when I'm in front of the camera and I've also been helping off-stage with lighting and some camera work. No one from the entertainment industry is going to be beating a path to my door."
"Another one of my friends is also in a group making a video game of some kind. I'm a voice actress on that one but not for any particular character. They're not even using my own voice; I'm just giving the A.I. a pattern to follow and then the A.I. takes it and creates 30 distinct voices and other things. I've played parts of the game in development and it's very fast-paced and just not something that I would enjoy."
"My Dad is so funny; He says that his contribution to The Fair is paying his taxes. My Mom says that her contribution is staying out of the way of everyone else."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 10, 2024 12:19:22 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Being Sunside doesn't mean that you live in TOTAL isolation. Realistically, there isn't much to do when it comes to interacting with the outside world except to twiddle your thumbs and keep yourself entertained. Granted, there's a bit of leeway when you just begin to enter Sunside and exit Sunside (we call it "Sunrise" and "Sunset"). However, as the saying goes, 'If it's light, stay out of sight.' Not that Moonside doesn't have it's own problems; Namely, you can't see because it is Pitch Black."
"There is a data cable that runs just underneath the ground and connects the colonies so that, whichever colony (or colonies) are Moonside can allow for those Sunside to interact with the rest of the universe. However, when you're Sunside, you're not supposed to really use it unless it's necessary. If you're Moonside, then you have free reign to do what you want. Call Terra to your heart's content."
"Because there's a gap between two of the colonies, there is a brief window where communication is generally discouraged regardless of the year. I know that the colonies have been trying to find a solution to this problem but who knows if it will ever be solved. It's not critical; It's just annoying."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 12, 2024 9:37:48 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"We don't just have an SFAC bridge simulator; We also have warp drive nacelle simulations for engineering training."
"The warp drive stuff isn't SFAC or even SFAR-tier because I don't think those levels of certification exists. One of the reasons why they don't exist is because some of the stuff is classified and you're NOT supposed to know exactly what is going on there until they train you specifically AT THE ACADEMY. However, you can train with some pretty close substitutes. I mean, it's the difference between an auto mechanic training on a generic car versus a high-end sports car; They still both have wheels and an engine and an air filter and all that stuff."
"And even beyond those two things, our entire colony is just a large, cylindrical version of a Star Fleet spaceship anyway. Colony school, in a roundabout way, is just an introductory course to Star Fleet Academy in that you learn how to be on a spaceship. The systems are all the same. The repair tools used are pretty much all the same."
"I write all of this because I just spent three hours helping to repair a simulated warp drive imbalance. Ship didn't blow up in the simulation. We rock."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 14, 2024 2:46:51 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Being Moonside isn't all fun and games. Each 'season' has its own workflow."
"Sure, you can go outside but it's completely dark except for the stars in the sky and The Moon (our moon, not an actual natural satellite). AND you have to set up all of the location markers."
"Yeah, I forgot to mention those. See, you can't leave anything outside because it's all going to get burnt to a crisp once you get to full Sunside. Therefore, you're constantly having to put down and pick back up again the location markers. Location markers are like... I don't know, a form of GPS. We have redundant location systems so that no one gets lost if they go topside during Moonside."
"Anyway, setting all of that up takes awhile, too. I'm not a part of that world but I've seen the location markers in storage and have had to move them on occasion. They are heavy as heck! You wouldn't think that they don't weigh much but they're bigger and heavier than you'd think. Two guys in school can lift them pretty well but me, alone? Yeah, I can barely lift them. And I work out. It's not like I'm a buff chick or anything but I do work out."
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 16, 2024 11:37:07 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Even though everyone talks about Sunside and Moonside, no one ever talks about Sunrise and Sunset. They're sort of like semi-official but not really 'seasons.' Or, more accurately, they're seasons within a season. It's weird."
"OK, Sunside is when we're facing the Sun and, obviously, you can't go outside for any reason whatsoever. Moonside means you can go outside and travel to The Moon but it's completely dark except for whatever light you put out there and the stars."
"Sunrise is when you're entering Sunside and Sunset is when, obviously, you're exiting Sunside. Right now, depending upon who you talk to, we're beginning the Sunset phase of our 'yearly' cycle. Or not. Like I wrote, it's weird because it's not an official season or phase or anything like that."
"Personally, I kind of like it. I sort of like Sunrise more than Sunset AS A SEASON because you can go outside, see things without effort... It's sort of like being on a real planet except our own. I do like Sunset, though, merely because you're going to Moonside and who doesn't like THAT?"
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steve
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Post by steve on Jul 18, 2024 12:11:35 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I know during ancient times on Earth, the concept of when the season 'Spring' began was usually when some frozen lake thawed or snow disappeared or when flowers sprouted or something environmental like that happens."
"For us, we kind of, sort of, have the same thing (in a way). I mean, again, it all depends on who you talk to. For some, the first time that we can disengage the shield from our 'plug' because we don't need it to protect ourselves from the Sun is a sign. The first time that we can extend antennas and communicate to The Moon (and elsewhere) by ourselves is a sign. The first time that we can go outside and not be fried the moment we open the door is a sign."
"For me... I don't know. I think that the reason why Sunrise and Sunset aren't 'real' seasons is because there's so much work during that time. I mean, The Fair is always just before Sunset and THAT is a lot of work. And then to prepare for Moonside is a lot of work. And, during Moonside, you're doing a lot of work and then, just as you begin to enter Sunrise, THAT'S a lot of work..."
"Basically, living in this colony is just a lot of non-stop work. Except maybe during little phases in Moonside and Sunside."
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steve
Commander
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Post by steve on Jul 20, 2024 9:30:53 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"I think that one of the reason why people like Moonside more than Sunside, especially if you're a kid, is because there's Moonbreak."
"OK, on ancient Earth, school wasn't full-time. It wasn't like you went to school every day of the year, every day of the week. They took breaks and their biggest break was Summer break and that designated one school year from the next. Moonbreak is sort of our equivalent."
"I mean, it's not an EXACT equivalent because, technically, we do have school year round here on the colony but it's just different. It's hard to explain. Going Moonside, if you're an older teenager like myself, usually means that you head on up to the Moon in order to start some sort of internship or apprenticeship in preparation for leaving to Star Fleet Academy. Even if you AREN'T leaving, you're still working at some internship. I suppose the ancient Terran equivalent would be if all of the teenagers got summer jobs once school let out but they aren't 'stack cans on shelves' type of jobs but more 'you're an assistant to what you will be doing when you grow up' jobs."
"Anyway, still looking forward to Moonside and Moonbreak anyway."
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steve
Commander
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Post by steve on Jul 22, 2024 11:52:48 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Power went out in a section of the colony today. And I helped restore it."
"A lot of us teenagers are going to be leaving for Star Fleet Academy and our colony, underground, is like one big spaceship except that it's designed to be underground and not fly through space."
"Therefore, whenever something breaks in the colony AND it's not 'Oh my God!' serious, that incident becomes a learning experience for us and we tag along with Operations or whatever department goes to fix it."
"In this case, the power went out (technically, it didn't 'go out go out' but they did experience a 'power lock' which is... OK, this is getting too complicated without writing a novel, so let me reset) There was a power disruption, a section of the colony's electrical grid went into 'safe mode,' we figured out the reason why and fixed it and now that section of the colony is no longer in 'safe mode.'"
"And that took the ENTIRE day. As in, it's evening now and I'm going to bed because I'm tired."
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steve
Commander
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Post by steve on Jul 24, 2024 11:54:49 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"You know what? I don't think I've ever written about the day/night cycle here."
"OK, on ancient Terra people went to bed and woke up because they lived above ground and depended upon the sun. Seriously, you need sunlight exposure or your health becomes affected."
"In the colony, we have a bunch of ways to get 'sunlight' while below ground. The best way (and least pervvy way) is when you take a shower. OK, 'shower' is a bit of an archaic term. There's no 'water' in the 'shower' although, if you're feeling really ritzy, you can have one of those. I've had one of those before and, quite honestly, I don't know what the big deal is. It's more than a bit inconvenient."
"Anyway, showers nowadays clean you with these invisible waves and it's really fast and doesn't use up water and, while you're there, you get UV waves which is our 'sunlight.' You wear these sort of 'goggles' over your eyes and... OK, this is really hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it. I'll explain the day/night cycle later."
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steve
Commander
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Post by steve on Jul 26, 2024 12:05:49 GMT -7
CONFESSIONAL - FROM A FEDERATION COLONIST
[Note - The text has been edited for clarity and context. It has been edited with contemporary Terran audiences in mind. Idioms and local references have been changed to the most appropriate Terran equivalent.]
"Day/night cycle, second attempt."
"OK, you can't go outside because the sun will instantly fry you. When you're Moonside, it's pitch black (and also cold as though you're in space). You need a certain amount of Vitamin D. What do you do?"
"A daily shower (a modern one, not the water variety) gives you all of your Vitamin D UV waves. You're done; Go home."
"Suppose you don't want to take a shower (Ew! Why?). You could also get it through food supplements. The food replicators fortify everything with all the vitamins and minerals that you need in order to live. OK, some of the luxury foods taste 'off' in comparison to the non-replicator varieties but at least it's a healthier option. Got your sunlight. Done."
"But suppose you don't take a shower (still Ew!) and you don't eat or drink (which is really strange), you can still get your sunlight when you have your regular health check-ups. You get your biomarkers read, they notice that you've got a deficiency and then they give you a boost. It's not ideal but at least you never become deficient to the point where you're dying."
"AND suppose you don't go to the doctor's for your check-ups (seriously... WHY?). You can finally get your sunlight 'physically' because a portion of the overhead lights in a lot of areas emit a very low level amount of UV light for just this expressed purpose. It's not the same amount as a normal sun but it's far above zero."
"And I didn't explain the day/night cycle because I'm a dweeb. Next time."
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