Jekyll2024-03-19T05:30:36-04:00https://b-ark.ca/feed.xmlThe “B” ArkJust this guy, you know?Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caDon’t ask me why, but I…2024-03-17T12:30:31-04:002024-03-17T12:30:31-04:00https://b-ark.ca/2024/03/17/don-t-ask-me-why-but-i<p>Don’t ask me why, but I restarted tinkering with my old DS port of NetHack! I forgot how much fun it is coding for platforms like the DS. It’s just so… simple.</p>
<p>I was also reminded that, you know, my port plays really damn well. I forgot how many hours I logged in it! So, if you’re a NetHack fan, own a DS, and have a flash card, all four of you can try it out!</p>
<p>https://github.com/fancypantalons/NetHack/releases/tag/NetHackDS-3.6.7-1</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caIf I’m asked what I…2024-02-27T11:47:00-05:002024-02-27T11:47:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2024/02/27/if-i-m-asked-what-i<p>If I’m asked what I accomplished on my break, the first thing I’ll list is using my iFixit kit to repair the shoulder buttons on my old Nintendo DS Lite (easy repair, corroded contacts in the micro switches). Why? Because it was there.</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caFrom Jenny Odell in “How to…2024-02-23T13:29:00-05:002024-02-23T13:29:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2024/02/23/from-jenny-odell-in-how-to<p>From Jenny Odell in “How to Do Nothing”, on the power of what she calls “manifest dismantling”, or the intentional dismantling of the artifacts of “progress” as part of recalibrating our relationship with both our environment and each other:</p>
<p>“When we pry open the cracks in the concrete, we stand to encounter life itself–nothing less and nothing more, as if there could be more.”</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.ca“can you successfully post…2024-02-18T12:35:51-05:002024-02-18T12:35:51-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2024/02/18/-can-you-successfully-post<p>“can you successfully post replies to M.B. from your blog?”</p>
<p>There’s only one way to find out…</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caWell, what started off as an…2024-01-30T16:28:00-05:002024-01-30T16:28:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2024/01/30/well-what-started-off-as-an<p>Well, what started off as an icy mess turned into an absolute banger of a day up at Sunshine! Just gotta wait for that snow to thaw. Ngl, though, spring skiing conditions in Alberta on January 30th is weird…</p>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/7ec109cc-48e7-419b-9015-25a6f4f70635.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/7ec109cc-48e7-419b-9015-25a6f4f70635.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caStories like this are why,…2024-01-29T13:40:00-05:002024-01-29T13:40:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2024/01/29/stories-like-this-are-why<p>Stories like this are why, despite being in tech for decades, I tend to avoid closed smart devices:</p>
<p>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/01/fossil-smartwatches-go-extinct-company-quits-wear-os-ecosystem/</p>
<p>An analog or old school digital watches can work for decades, but remotely updatable, closed digital devices can be subject to rug pulls at the whim of their controling corporations. We’ve seen this repeatedly with IoT devices and it was only a matter of time before a major wearable went the same route.</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caSo I’ve been plugging away at…2024-01-17T12:48:00-05:002024-01-17T12:48:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2024/01/17/so-i-ve-been-plugging-away-at<p>So I’ve been plugging away at a little side project for kicks. I haven’t written code for a month, now, due to other issues and distractions but I have been <em>thinking</em> about it, and it occurs to me how novel that is: without the pressure of deadlines I can actually spend time thinking about the problem, ensuring I build the right thing first, without the pressure to deliver the fast wrong answer.</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caReview: Legends & Lattes2023-12-24T13:56:47-05:002023-12-24T13:56:47-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/12/24/review-legends-lattes<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/covers/9798985663211.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/covers/9798985663211.jpg"></a></p><p>Anyone who knows my wife knows she’s, well, calling her a ravenous reader is doing a disservice to her book consumption habit. Books being such a central passion in her life, I’m always asking her what she’s reading, what she’s read, what she liked, and what she didn’t, and so it was that at some point she told me about this book she loved by an audiobook narrator that she really likes: <em>Legends & Lattes</em>.</p>
<p>So, I will absolute profess to some initial skepticism. I’ve long been a fantasy reader, having initially cut my teeth on pulp horror from the likes of Stephen King and Dean Koontz before taking a hard turn to David Eddings and Robert Jordon. So I’m far from unfamiliar with the genre. But I’ll freely admit that a fantasy book about an Orc opening a coffee shop seemed… a bit far fetched?</p>
<p>In hindsight this was, honestly, a pretty dumb assumption on my part. Terry Pratchett made an entire career out of building a fantasy world (Discworld) in which books are centered around the invention of modern contrivances (paper money, movies, the telegraph, etc). Why not a coffee shop?</p>
<p>Well, as the year was winding down I ran across a book recommendations post on Hacker News and decided to poke around, and I’ll be damned if <em>Legends & Lattes</em> didn’t earn a mention! I relayed my surprise to my wife, and she offered to re-listen to the book with me on our anniversary vacation<sup id="fnref:1" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote" rel="footnote">1</a></sup>, and you know what? It was great!</p>
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<hr />
<p>On it’s face <em>Legends & Lattes</em> follows a pretty classic formula: our hero, Viv, has decided she’s done with her life of violence as a member of a band of mercenaries and wants to retire. Having previously encountered Gnomish coffee during one of her adventures, she has a dream: to set up her own coffee shop in the town of Thune, a place where coffee is completely unknown (except among the occasional Gnomish immigrant). As she pursues her dream she draws a cast of characters around her and, together, through various ups and some serious downs, Viv’s coffee shop is ultimately a success.</p>
<p>Sounds pretty straight forward, right?</p>
<p>But when you look past the surface there’s some real heart and depth to this story. Viv, an enormous Orc with muscles and reflexes trained through years of combat, stands out wherever she goes. Yet, despite that intimidating exterior, she is kind and sensitive, with a dream of creating a place that’s cozy and inviting and creates joy and a sense of community. She is, in short, a misunderstood misfit. As she says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“…I don’t really know what I’m doing.” She hooked a thumb at the greatsword on the wall. “This is what I know, what I’ve always known. I just want to know something else, now. To be something else.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As someone currently on sabbatical after twenty years doing the exact some thing and now looking for that “something else”, let me tell ya, I can appreciate that sentiment.</p>
<p>Through the course of the story, Viv pulls together a cast of characters that, themselves, are misunderstood misfits: Tandri, her succubus business partner; Cal, the hob carpenter; Thimble, the ratkin baker (and culinary genius); Pendry, the labourer-turned-Troubadour; Amity, the enormous dire-cat and shop mascot. But being a misfit herself, Viv is able to see past the surface of these people to who they really are and who they really want to be.</p>
<p>Importantly, Viv doesn’t jealously hold her dream tight. She shares it. And through that sharing, these people are able to realize their own dreams, and ultimately find family together.</p>
<p>This book is often described as “cozy” because, while our characters experience both highs and lows, Mr. Baldree refuses to put them and the reader through too much hardship. Rather, the core of the story is in the journey these characters take together. Like “Ted Lasso” or “Brooklyn 99” or “Community”, the reader is allowed to simply enjoy the trip. And, you know, sometimes that’s all you want or need. In a world that seems to prize the “gritty” story, <em>Legends & Lattes</em> is a breath of light, fresh air.</p>
<p>Earlier I mentioned Discworld, and that’s the closest touchstone I have for this book. Now, to be clear: this is not satire! However, there are definitely some parallels, here, and my feeling is if you enjoy Pratchett’s work you’ll probably enjoy this one. The Watch subseries, in particular, with its many books about accepting folks who are different–werewolves, vampires, Igors, etc–shares a lot of the same vibes.</p>
<p>And if you’re a foodie in general or a coffee lover in particular, be warned: you’ll probably come away with some cravings!<sup id="fnref:2" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:2" class="footnote" rel="footnote">2</a></sup></p>
<p>Oh, and somehow I nearly forgot to mention: obviously we listened to this in audiobook form, and given Mr. Baldree is an audiobook narrator and performed this book, one shouldn’t be surprised that it was fantastic! Mr. Baldree is adept at creating unique voices for each of the characters and never failing to ensure he’s fully in character as he voices dialogue, making the audiobook incredibly charming and easy to follow. I also enjoy the natural pace of his narrating and never felt a need to speed it up or slow it down.</p>
<p>Finally, before you ask, yeah, I’m sure I’ll end up checking out <em>Bookshops & Bonedust</em> at some point when I’m looking for another nice, cozy read.</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Our 20th no less! Happy anniversary, love! It’s been an incredible up-and-down journey together and I know the next 20 will be nothing less than extraordinary. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:2" role="doc-endnote">
<p>I was actually in the midst of a caffeine break while we listened to this book–my sleep had really been suffering and my coffee habit was definitely not helping–and it was honestly pretty torturous listening to how much Thimble enjoyed his lattes… <a href="#fnref:2" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caFirst day out skiing and I’m…2023-12-20T12:10:00-05:002023-12-20T12:10:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/12/20/first-day-out-skiing-and-i-m<p>First day out skiing and I’m treated to this stunning view of the Lake Louise area. Just incredible.</p>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/0bb2a0d7-2516-46e5-915b-8a9368ac2173.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/0bb2a0d7-2516-46e5-915b-8a9368ac2173.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.cahttps://jeffgothelf.com/blog/ego-killed-the-empowered-product-team/2023-12-11T13:43:00-05:002023-12-11T13:43:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/12/11/https-jeffgothelf-com-blog-ego-killed-the-empowered-product-team<p>Great piece that really speaks to my own experiences establishing and evolving a product function. Loved the bit about focusing on and celebrating incremental improvement over bemoaning the failure to live up to some platonic idea of product management.</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caI kinda feel like we’re just…2023-11-24T15:30:06-05:002023-11-24T15:30:06-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/24/i-kinda-feel-like-we-re-just<p>I kinda feel like we’re just too inured to the modern miracle that is SQLite. That a fully featured relational database supporting much of the SQL standard can be packaged up in less than 1MB of portable code is incredible. And they guarantee to support the current (open, portable) file format until <em>2050</em>, which is why it is specifically supported by the Library of Congress!</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caUnexpected ipv6 benefit:…2023-11-24T14:00:40-05:002023-11-24T14:00:40-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/24/unexpected-ipv6-benefit<p>Unexpected ipv6 benefit: upgrading Debian testing, NetworkManager package broke (I still don’t know how). Rebooted to a system with no network connectivity. Thanks to a hard wired dock, all I had to do was an “ip set [iface] up” and everything autoconfigured and I could access Google and the Debian package repos (for the curious, I just had to run <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">apt-get install --fix-broken</code>).</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caReview: Descent2023-11-23T11:45:18-05:002023-11-23T11:45:18-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/23/review-descent<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/9781616204303.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/9781616204303.jpg"></a></p><p>There’s no book in recent memory that I found as challenging to review as I’m finding this one. I think that’s because <em>Descent</em> tries to be two things at once: both a thriller, telling the story of the disappearance of Caitlyn, a high school senior and track star who is abducted while going for a run during a family vacation to the Colorado Rockies, and a deep character study of the family members–her father Grant, her mother Angela, and her brother Sean–and their lives, together and apart, as they grapple with the nightmare of a daughter and a sister who disappears without a trace. Each of these stories would, individually, be a gripping read. Unfortunately, I feel Mr. Johnston tried to do too much, and as a result, taken as a whole, nothing works as well as it could.</p>
<p>Of course, I still enjoyed the book very much, and was up way too late during the big climax. But, the more I thought about the book and talked about it to <a href="https://celebrityreaders.com/author/lenoreowastaken/">my wife</a>, the more I couldn’t overlook the flaws in this debut novel.</p>
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<p>The book opens with a family vacation that rapidly turns to tragedy as Caitlyn goes for a training run on the back roads of a Colorado mountain town, trailed by her brother Sean on his bike, and is ultimately abducted while her brother is left, injured and semi-conscious, by the side of the road, having been hit by the abductor’s truck. These opening chapters telegraph exactly what to expect from Mr. Johnston’s writing: beautiful prose with unique turns of phrase; a wonderful ability to convey visual detail; and elegant characterization that telegraphs who the characters are without beating the reader over the head with details.</p>
<p>Right away we also get a taste of another of Mr. Johnston’s habits: including subtle hints of broader backstory that can be both effective in building depth to these characters, but can also being frustrating in that some of those back stories might have better been either unpacked or left unsaid. For example, in these opening chapters we learn through implication that Grant previously cheated on Angela, and that he was an alcoholic who lost a pair of fingers in some sort of accident. However, Johnston never really pulls at these threads, nor is it obvious that these details end up impacting the narrative. It’s a frustrating habit that contributes to a sense of stasis as we see these characters as they are but not how they came to be.</p>
<p>What follows is a series of semi-connected storylines with each of the family members, beginning with Angela<sup id="fnref:1" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote" rel="footnote">1</a></sup> and then followed by Grant and then Sean. It’s in this part of the book that I first noticed the conflict that Mr. Johnston had created for himself: each of these sub-stories is an often beautiful, frequently tragic exploration of these characters as they individually grapple with the mystery of Caitlyn’s disappearance. Here we see a family shattered, each character struggling with their own sense of grief and guilt and anger as they variably blame themselves or each other for their shared tragedy. But what these sub-stories don’t do is advance the thriller narrative itself.</p>
<p>To resolve that, Mr. Johnston interleaves part of Sean’s story with Caitlyn’s as she lives the horror of her abduction, but these chapters have a very different tone, switching from character study to King-like thriller. It’s honestly a bit jarring, but it’s unavoidable given the story the author tries to tell.</p>
<p>Also interesting is the way in which these individual character sub-stories serve to paint a portrait of these people that’s frozen in time. After the initial abduction the reader is flashed forward in time and we see these characters much later. During that time it’s clear they have changed, Sean most of all. However, we never come to learn how those changes happened, nor do we see these characters change any further. In another book I might see this as a flaw, but in the case of Descent I’m willing to give it a pass, if only because, to me, it’s very believable that after Caitlyn’s abduction these people would become unmoored in time, unable to accept what has happened, unable to move on, forever stuck in that moment until Caitlyn is found.</p>
<p>But, it does mean that these sub-stories don’t just fail to move the thriller plotline forward, they also fail to move the characters forward either, which means the book feels static, which is a strange thing to say for something in this genre.</p>
<p>Ultimately, the climax is initiated by an unexpected coincidental meeting in a bar that’s so improbable that Johnston felt compelled to lampshade it by including dialog where the characters talk about how improbable their meeting is. The rest is a rush to a finish that, while certainly driving and tense, felt just a bit too convenient and a bit too perfunctory, with just a bit of King-like gore to stay honest to the genre. Given how much sleep I lost reading this portion, I’m not going to claim it wasn’t enjoyable, but it was objectively a bit too easy of an ending.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the final part, which is really an epilogue, was enjoyable, but once again we fail to see characters advance and change. Maybe that’s realistic but it doesn’t feel particularly satisfying.</p>
<p>So, would I recommend this book? Yes, with reservations. I will admit I’m a sucker for unique and beautiful prose (e.g. the writing style of <em>The Road</em> by Cormac McCarthy blew me away) and this book delivers. And as a character study it is beautiful, even if these are characters stuck in stasis. But as a thriller it’s serviceable and enjoyable but otherwise unremarkable.</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1" role="doc-endnote">
<p>I have to admit Angela’s story got the shortest shrift. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t fully into the book at the beginning, but I felt her story got the least time and exploration, which is an odd choice given the unique relationship between mother and daughter. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caAhh Christmas season is upon…2023-11-16T18:09:00-05:002023-11-16T18:09:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/16/ahh-christmas-season-is-upon<p>Ahh Christmas season is upon us and my favourite decoration is up! Merry Khanmas!</p>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/00467e0d-0fa7-481b-863b-14f52a15dd3b.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/00467e0d-0fa7-481b-863b-14f52a15dd3b.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caFor anyone making use of my…2023-11-15T20:03:43-05:002023-11-15T20:03:43-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/15/for-anyone-making-use-of-my<p>For anyone making use of my RSS feeds, I made some changes to simplify the template while making some content formatting changes (e.g. inlining the feature image at the start of longer articles/reviews). I’ve also limited the main feed to 25 posts instead of 50, which seemed excessive. While I tested with an offline reader, I can’t guarantee things won’t break, so if they do, please let me know!</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caShout out to @marksuth…2023-11-15T01:37:00-05:002023-11-15T01:37:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/15/shout-out-to-marksuth<p>Shout out to <a href="https://mastodon.social/@marksuth" class="user-mention">@marksuth@mastodon.social</a> for picking up the torch on IndiePass and continuing to improve it! The fact that I can post to my own bespoke blog from my phone as easily as I can post to Mastodon is a testament to the power of the Indieweb and protocols over platforms.</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caFirst attempt at a little…2023-11-13T23:36:00-05:002023-11-13T23:36:00-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/13/first-attempt-at-a-little<p>First attempt at a little stuffy. A bit rough in spots and my joining is horrible but in the end it turned out alright!</p>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/63289118-43d4-472e-89e1-515dc1fa1864.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/63289118-43d4-472e-89e1-515dc1fa1864.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caSock Knitting 1012023-11-10T10:56:07-05:002023-11-10T10:56:07-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/10/sock-knitting-101<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231110_061618039.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231110_061618039.jpg"></a></p><p>So, way back in the before time, I decided to attempt to knit a pair of socks. Not one to do things the normal way, I opted for the toe-up lessons from Denise Powell on the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20210212004855/http://socknitters.com/toe-up/">now defunct socknitters.com</a>. The thing that really attracted me to toe-up was the idea that I could just try socks on as I went rather than trying to nail the sizing up front, something that, as a not very confident knitter, I didn’t think I had a hope in heck of getting right.</p>
<p>Now, many years later, I can’t imagine knitting socks any other way. Toe-up just feels inherently intuitive to me (though, admittedly, it isn’t without its downsides, as most patterns are set up for cuff-down socks, which means you’ve gotta do extra work to reverse them).</p>
<p>In part, I think this is because of Powell’s approach to teaching sock knitting, which did away with teaching the reader to follow a rote pattern, but instead focused on the structural elements of socks and how you knit each component. This gave the reader a much more fundamental understanding of sock construction, thereby helping the knitter build that necessary intuition that allows for later improvisation.</p>
<p>Well, I decided to take a crack at writing a new set of lessons inspired by Denise’s work and my own experiences both knitting socks and teaching others to do the same. I hope this is useful to aspiring sock knitters out there!</p>
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<h1 id="prerequisites">Prerequisites</h1>
<p>Sock knitting is nowhere near as technically difficult as a lot of people might think. Odds are, if you’ve knitted a hat in the round, you have 90% of the skills you’ll need to knit socks. However, I will be merrily using some knitting techniques and terminology that a neophyte may not have yet encountered. To follow along I expect you’ll be familiar with:</p>
<ol>
<li>Knitting in the round (surprise!)</li>
<li>Left and right leaning increases</li>
<li>Simple decreases</li>
<li>Basic short row knitting (I use a simple wrap-and-turn for the heel)</li>
<li>Twisted stitches/knitting and purling through the back loop</li>
</ol>
<p>If anything on this list is totally alien to you, it’s definitely worth digging up a quick tutorial for some of these concepts!</p>
<h1 id="anatomy-of-a-sock">Anatomy of a sock</h1>
<p>Like a lot of garments, regardless of the pattern you choose, all knitted socks are made of a number of distinct parts or phases of construction, and so the steps in these lessons explain the construction of these parts.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/sock-anatomy.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="The anatomy of a sock" data-alt="A colour-coded image of a sock with the components labeled." data-description="A colour-coded image of a sock with the components labeled."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/sock-anatomy.jpg" alt="A colour-coded image of a sock with the components labeled." class="u-photo u-photo-odd image" /></a></p>
<p>In the image you can see a colour-coded breakdown of these parts, in the order in which they’re completed:</p>
<ol>
<li>Blue - Cast-on and toe</li>
<li>Green - Main body of the foot</li>
<li>Purple - Gusset, which provides the shaping to accommodate the transition through the ankle</li>
<li>Yellow - Heel</li>
<li>Red - Leg</li>
</ol>
<h1 id="sizingmeasurement">Sizing/measurement</h1>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, one of the huge advantages of knitting socks toe-up is that it’s possible to try them on as you complete them to verify the fit (assuming you have access to the requisite foot). However, that doesn’t free us from the need to size the piece correctly, if only because we avoid extra re-work if we get the size right at the outset.</p>
<p>Of course, step one in completing any fitted garment is the creation of a gauge swatch. As tempting as it is, don’t skip this step! An accurate measurement of stitch gauge, in particular, is important for socks, as that determines how snug and comfortable the socks are around the foot.</p>
<p>When measuring the foot, you’ll need both the desired circumference as well as the length. With respect to circumference, measure around the ball of the foot at the widest point before the toes. You’ll then want to subtract 0.5-1.0cm to allow for stretch in the fabric<sup id="fnref:1" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote" rel="footnote">1</a></sup>.</p>
<p>When measuring the length of the foot, you’ll need to capture a few things, as depicted below:</p>
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<p>I typically reference all measurements starting from the toe. Since we can knit to the target length, row gauge matters a lot less.</p>
<h1 id="construction">Construction</h1>
<p>My goal in creating these lessons is to create a set of instructions that teach the fundamentals of sock knitting. To illustrate those fundamentals, I created a single tiny sock and took photos of the process.</p>
<p>If you want to follow along, I’ll include the specifics of this particular construction. While you won’t get a usable sock (unless you’re a 3 month old infant), it has the advantage of knitting up quickly<sup id="fnref:2" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:2" class="footnote" rel="footnote">2</a></sup> and allowing you to practice the concepts.</p>
<p>This approach also discourage learners from learning by rote memorization, since in order to actually knit an adult-sized sock you’ll need to take these principles and extrapolate them.</p>
<h2 id="materials">Materials</h2>
<p>For this toy sock, you don’t need much beyond some scrap yarn and a set of double-pointed needles.</p>
<p>The sample sock for these lessons was made using some extra Patons Kroy Socks yarn I had laying around. This yarn is a heavy fingering weight and, in this example, is knitted up on US size 3/3.25 mm needles.</p>
<p>If you choose to work these up on circular needles, you’ll also want a set of stitch markers.</p>
<h2 id="example-project-sizing">Example project sizing</h2>
<p>These are rough but illustrate the key measurements for this toy sock:</p>
<ul>
<li>16 stitch cast-on</li>
<li>32 stitch foot diameter</li>
<li>6 cm toe to gusset</li>
<li>8.5 cm toe to heel flap</li>
<li>11 cm total length</li>
</ul>
<p>But, honestly, the specifics don’t matter that much. The goal is for the sock to be just big enough to practice each step enough to build some fluency.</p>
<h2 id="cast-on">Cast-on</h2>
<p>In these lessons we’ll be creating a basic wedge toe, which is made by casting on some smaller set of stitches and increasing to the target circumference.</p>
<p>The cast-on is without a doubt the most difficult part of making a toe-up sock. There are quite a few different techniques out there, but I’m personally a big fan of <a href="https://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html">Judy’s Magic Cast-on</a> In my experience it’s the least fiddly cast-on method and produces a perfect, seamless toe.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_211138529.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Initial toe cast-on" data-alt="The initial set of 16 stitches, split across two needles." data-description="The initial set of 16 stitches, split across two needles."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_211138529.jpg" alt="The initial set of 16 stitches, split across two needles." class="u-photo u-photo-even image" /></a></p>
<p>I typically cast on half the number of stitches in the target circumference, so in this construction we’ll be casting on 16 stitches and then increasing to 32.</p>
<p>You’ll also notice that, in these lessons, I’m working across 5 DPNs. As you’ll see later, this arrangement obviates the need for stitch markers. If you prefer to work on fewer DPNs or are a fan of Magic Loop, feel free to do so, just make sure to place stitch markers to mark the top and bottom halves of the sock.</p>
<h2 id="toe-increases">Toe increases</h2>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_212708360.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Toe increases" data-alt="A top-down view of the in-progress toe with increase locations marked." data-description="A top-down view of the in-progress toe with increase locations marked."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_212708360.jpg" alt="A top-down view of the in-progress toe with increase locations marked." class="u-photo u-photo-odd image" /></a></p>
<p>After casting on, knit one full round to establish a base of stitches. Then begin the increases as shown in the image.</p>
<p>Here you can see we’re creating paired left- and right-leaning increases, which creates the distinctive wedge shape of this toe style.</p>
<h2 id="foot">Foot</h2>
<p>Once the toe increases are completed you can now proceed with knitting up the main body of the foot. In our example sock we’re not knitting up any fancy patterns, so you’d be knitting up straight stockinette. However, sock patterns often include some sort of decorative fabric on the top of the foot, so this is a good opportunity to get creative and bust out that stitch dictionary! Just be careful to consider the stitch gauge and stretchiness of the fabric, as certain materials, such as cables, can knit up tight and stiff, and so can have a significant impact on sizing.</p>
<p>As per the length measurement diagram earlier, you’ll be knitting until you reach the desired toe-to-gusset length.</p>
<h2 id="gusset-increases">Gusset increases</h2>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_220934397.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Gusset increases" data-alt="Top view of sock marking position of gusset increases." data-description="Top view of sock marking position of gusset increases."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_220934397.jpg" alt="Top view of sock marking position of gusset increases." class="u-photo u-photo-even image" /></a></p>
<p>The gusset is the portion of the sock that widens to accommodate for the rise of the arch and the transition through the ankle to the leg. This shaping involves creating two wedge-shaped sets of increases on each side of the foot so that the top of the foot rises away from the bottom.</p>
<p>You’ll notice I’m positioning the gusset increases at the ends of needles 3 and 4, comprising the bottom stitches of the sock. Arranging the increases this way ensures that the increases always occur in the correct locations.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_222309583.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Gusset increases - side view" data-alt="A view of the gusset increases from the side, showing the shaping." data-description="A view of the gusset increases from the side, showing the shaping."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_222309583.jpg" alt="A view of the gusset increases from the side, showing the shaping." class="u-photo u-photo-odd image" /></a></p>
<p>If you’re not using DPNs, make sure to place a stitch marker to ensure the increases occur in the right place.</p>
<p>The final result should be paired wedges on each side of the foot, as depicted in this photo and in the colour coded image presented earlier in these lessons.</p>
<h2 id="heel-flap">Heel flap</h2>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_222601051.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Stitches rearranged for heel flap" data-alt="Stitches are rearranged across five needles to set up for beginning the heel flap." data-description="Stitches are rearranged across five needles to set up for beginning the heel flap."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_222601051.jpg" alt="Stitches are rearranged across five needles to set up for beginning the heel flap." class="u-photo u-photo-even image" /></a></p>
<p>There are many different methods for creating sock heels with various pros and cons. For these lessons I’ll be illustrating the creation of a classic square heel, also known as a Dutch heel or a flap heel. Why this style? Well, first, it’s the only type of heel I’ve ever learned! But this particular style of heel is also very well suited to toe-up construction, and I also think it’s very easy to understand and visualize.</p>
<p>In this style of heel, we knit a flap that extends out from the bottom of the foot, then pick up the stitches on either side of the flap and then knit back and forth while joining in the gusset stitches. You can think of this as knitting the flat base of the heel, then knitting up the sides to form a cup.</p>
<p>To start, we first rearrange the stitches to separate out the stitches for the flap. The flap should be centered on the bottom of the foot, and I typically use about one quarter (25%) of the stitches for the flap. For our sample sock, that means 8 stitches.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_223247082.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Completed heel flap" data-alt="This heel flap was done over 8 stitches and shows 4 selvedge stitches." data-description="This heel flap was done over 8 stitches and shows 4 selvedge stitches."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_223247082.jpg" alt="This heel flap was done over 8 stitches and shows 4 selvedge stitches." class="u-photo u-photo-odd image" /></a></p>
<p>Knit around to the start of the flap, then construct the flap by knitting short rows until the flap is the desired length.</p>
<p>Critically, at the start of each row, make sure to <strong>slip the first stitch</strong> knit-wise or purl-wise as necessary to construct a clean selvedge. Finally, <strong>end on a purl row</strong>.</p>
<p>In our sample construction we end up knitting 8 rows, resulting in four selvedge stitches, which you can see in the included photo.</p>
<h2 id="heel-turn-and-join-up">Heel turn and join-up</h2>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_223401312.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Picked up selvedge" data-alt="Selvedge stitches picked up and ready to purl across." data-description="Selvedge stitches picked up and ready to purl across."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_223401312.jpg" alt="Selvedge stitches picked up and ready to purl across." class="u-photo u-photo-even image" /></a></p>
<p>Turning the heel involves picking up the selvedge stitches on either side of the heel flap and then knitting or purling across them. Critically, to ensure a clean seam, it’s important to twist the selvedge stitches which, for this first selvedge, requires purling awkwardly through the backloop.</p>
<p>To make this process less painful, I recommend using a smaller knitting needle to pick up the selvedge stitches. This will make it a lot easier to knit into them.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_224046789.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="First wrap-and-turn" data-alt="After purling across the selvedge stitches and joining with the gusset, wrap and turn." data-description="After purling across the selvedge stitches and joining with the gusset, wrap and turn."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_224046789.jpg" alt="After purling across the selvedge stitches and joining with the gusset, wrap and turn." class="u-photo u-photo-odd image" /></a></p>
<p>On this first selvedge, the steps are to:</p>
<ol>
<li>Purl through the backloop to the <strong>second last selvedge stitch</strong>.</li>
<li>Slip the last stitch purlwise through the backloop, then <strong>place it on needle 3 (the goal is to twist the stitch).</strong></li>
<li>Purl the last selvedge stitch and the first gusset stitch together.</li>
<li>Wrap and turn (and optionally place a stitch marker).<sup id="fnref:3" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:3" class="footnote" rel="footnote">3</a></sup></li>
</ol>
<p>Note, it’s not uncommon at this point to find there’s a hole in the fabric at the join between the flap selvedge and the gusset. If this is a problem, you can lift and twist a stitch between the flap and gusset and purl it together with the other two stitches.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_224243459.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="More picked up selvedge stitches" data-alt="Second selvedge picked up and ready to knit across." data-description="Second selvedge picked up and ready to knit across."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_224243459.jpg" alt="Second selvedge picked up and ready to knit across." class="u-photo u-photo-even image" /></a></p>
<p>After the turn you’ll knit back across the selvedge stitches and the flap stitches. Then you’ll pick up the other selvedge stitches, as shown in the photo. Note the way these stitches are set up. If picked up as depicted, when you knit across these stitches through the frontloops they will naturally twist.</p>
<p>The procedure at this point should be familiar:</p>
<ol>
<li>Knit through the frontloops to the second last selvedge stitch.</li>
<li>Slip the last stitch knitwise, then place it on needle 4.</li>
<li>Knit the last selvedge stitch and the first gusset stitch together.</li>
<li>Wrap and turn (and optionally place a stitch marker).</li>
</ol>
<p>Similarly, you may find you need to lift and twist a stitch between the flap and the gusset and knit it together with the other two in order to close any visible gaps.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_224440441.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Second wrap-and-turn" data-alt="After knitting across the selvedge stitches and joining with the gusset, wrap and turn." data-description="After knitting across the selvedge stitches and joining with the gusset, wrap and turn."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_224440441.jpg" alt="After knitting across the selvedge stitches and joining with the gusset, wrap and turn." class="u-photo u-photo-odd image" /></a></p>
<p>At this point you should have the wrong side of the fabric facing you.</p>
<p>In the remaining process, the goal is to gradually build up the walls of the heel cup while joining up the heel with the gussset. So, first, you will:</p>
<ol>
<li>Purl back across that selvedge, the heel flap, and then to the second last stitch of the first selvedge.</li>
<li>Purl the last selvedge stitch and the first gusset stitch together<sup id="fnref:4" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:4" class="footnote" rel="footnote">4</a></sup>.</li>
<li>Wrap and turn.</li>
</ol>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_230219242.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Completed heel" data-alt="After knitting back and forth and decreasing into the remaining gusset stitches, the heel is complete." data-description="After knitting back and forth and decreasing into the remaining gusset stitches, the heel is complete."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_230219242.jpg" alt="After knitting back and forth and decreasing into the remaining gusset stitches, the heel is complete." class="u-photo u-photo-even image" /></a></p>
<p>Then, you’ll repeat the process on the right side, knitting across the heel stitches to the second last selvedge stitch, then knitting the last selvedge stitch and the first gusset stitch together, then again wrapping and turning.</p>
<p>Repeat this process, back and forth across the heel stitches, until there are no more gusset stitches remaining. In the photo you can see the line of decreases joining the flap to the gusset (the gray yarn is the gusset stitch while the dark blue is from the flap).</p>
<p>You can now rearrange these stitches across four needles in preparation for working the leg and cuff.</p>
<h2 id="leg-and-cuff">Leg and cuff</h2>
<p>Now, if you got lucky with the length of your heel flap and the number of gusset stitches, you should be back to the original number of stitches (in fact, the way this example sock as been set up, that’s exactly what should happen, and you should be back to 32 stitches).</p>
<p>If this is the case, you can now begin knitting the leg, which, in our sample, is just repeated knit rounds to the desired length and ending with a 1x1 rib for a few rows. If you decided to apply some sort of motif to the top of the foot, you can pick that back up and either continue or extend it around the rest of the leg.</p>
<p><a href="/assets/images/knitting/sock-knitting-101/PXL_20231109_230356082.jpg" class="glightbox" data-title="Filling the gap" data-alt="The row after the short row join can sometimes have a gap that can be filled by picking up, twisting, and knitting into the leg below." data-description="The row after the short row join can sometimes have a gap that can be filled by picking up, twisting, and knitting into the leg below."><img src="/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_230356082.jpg" alt="The row after the short row join can sometimes have a gap that can be filled by picking up, twisting, and knitting into the leg below." class="u-photo u-photo-odd image" /></a></p>
<p>The one wrinkle will be in the first round at the joint between needles 2 and 3. It’s quite likely you’ll end up with a gap in the fabric at this point. Again, it can be helpful to lift and twist a stitch and then decrease that stitch in the last stitch of needle 2.<sup id="fnref:5" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:5" class="footnote" rel="footnote">5</a></sup></p>
<p>Now, I often end up with too many stitches, so at this point I usually have to include additional decreases each round to remove the excess stitches. I do this by including a left leaning decrease at the start of needle 3, and a right leaning decrease at the end of needle 4, so that the line of decreases follows the line of the gusset.</p>
<h2 id="bind-off">Bind off</h2>
<p>It’s critical to use a nice, stretchy bind-off for toe-up socks. I prefer <a href="https://knitty.com/ISSUEfall09/FEATjssbo.php">Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind-off</a>, as it’s fairly easy to execute if you’re familiar with a regular chain bind-off, and looks nice and clean.</p>
<p>And that’s it! In theory you just knitted your first sock!</p>
<h1 id="what-now">What now?</h1>
<p>Well, first off, you should probably try making a properly sized sock, followed by, you know, a second one. You should be able to follow these exact same steps while adjusting the measurements as appropriate. And remember you can try on as you go!</p>
<p>Beyond that, you can experiment with stitch patterns or start to noodle around with alternative cast-on methods, or toe or heel styles.</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1" role="doc-endnote">
<p>The technical term for this is “negative ease”. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:2" role="doc-endnote">
<p>I’d estimate it took me about 2 hours to put together this sample. <a href="#fnref:2" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:3" role="doc-endnote">
<p>This is a short row knitting technique where you move the working yarn from the front of the piece to the back, slip the next stitch purl-wise, bring the working yarn from the back to the front, then return the stitch back to the right needle. Then turn the piece around so you can knit back. <a href="#fnref:3" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:4" role="doc-endnote">
<p>This is the stitch you wrapped earlier so it should be pretty easy to spot visually. <a href="#fnref:4" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:5" role="doc-endnote">
<p>I actually do something a little more elaborate, here, and introduce an increase stitch by picking up the leg two stitches down, twisting it, then lifting the leg one row down, and then passing the twisted stitch over. I then knit that new stitch and the last stitch of needle 2 together. <a href="#fnref:5" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caYes, More Socks2023-11-08T22:46:07-05:002023-11-08T22:46:07-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/08/yes-more-socks<p>This is basically a direct repeat of my last project, the <a href="/2023/11/01/ribs-and-stripes.html">Ribs and Stripes socks</a> except in a different yarn. I might have made some minor tweaks to the sizing, here, but honestly, I don’t remember, I tend to work these things by ear (and let’s face it, I’ve kinda been in a mindless knitting trance lately).</p>
<p>As an aside, I kinda love this gauge of yarn? Yeah, okay, fingering yarns knit up a lot more clean and delicate, but I’m not gonna lie, I really like how fast this stuff knits up. And the chunkier style of the yarn fits the type of sock I’m going for.</p>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231108_200810636.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231108_200810636.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_033344499.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231109_033344499.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caReview: Calamity2023-11-06T11:00:05-05:002023-11-06T11:00:05-05:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/06/review-calamity<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/9780385743600.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/9780385743600.jpg"></a></p><p>First, a quick disclosure: while the book metadata I’ve included with this post implies I read this book, that is a lie! In fact, my wife and I listened to the audiobooks together, knocking down the first two during our <a href="/2023/10/14/annular-eclipse-day.html">trip to see the 2023 annular eclipse</a>, and then finishing the last one in our livingroom.</p>
<p>Additionally, as I mentioned in the post summary, I didn’t get around to writing down my thoughts about the first two books as we finished them, so <a href="/2023/11/04/review-apex.html">like my review of The Nexus trilogy</a>, this review is based on my overall thoughts after finishing the last book, Calamity.</p>
<p>And since these reviews are mainly for Future Brett as he tries to remember what he thought about these books, I’ll just say: sorry buddy. I’ll do my best, here, but I make no guarantees.</p>
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<hr />
<p>Alright, so first a bit of context: I’m kind of a Brandon Sanderson fan.</p>
<p>I don’t say that about a lot of artists. There’s only a small handful of artists–authors, musicians, directors, etc–for whom I’d describe myself as an actual fan; that is, someone who will dive into that artist’s work fully expecting to enjoy the heck out of it every single time.</p>
<p>But Brandon Sanderson is definitely among them.</p>
<p>My fandom started with <a href="/2020/11/22/review-mistborn.html">Mistborn</a>, and I mention that because The Reckoners shares some obvious DNA with that fantastic series. Like Mistborn, The Reckoners drops the reader into a world transformed and made alien, yet familiar, by incomprehensible powers that the characters only barely understand. And like The Reckoners, the story is centered around a main character–in this series, David–who begins his journey young and naive, and over time grows into the person he must be in order to save this broken world.</p>
<p>Also like Mistborn, The Reckoners introduces us to a band of rebels led by a complicated figure–Prof–who is, in his way, fighting back against the darkness that is trying to consume them all. As is often the case with Sanderson’s work, it’s an eclectic cast of characters, none of which are particularly deep, but each of which is charming and uniquely drawn. Of course, Sanderson loves to write characters that have one or two clear traits that more or less define who they are, and that’s on full display here.<sup id="fnref:1" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote" rel="footnote">1</a></sup> In another author this could come across a bit gimmicky–and honestly, even with Sanderson, it can feel that way at times–but somehow he always manages to make it work. But, also like Sanderson’s past work, the motivations and backstory of these characters are mostly implied, and only explicitly drawn out where it contributes to the main storyline. I’ve always found that a little frustrating about his writing–I like deep, three dimensional characters that I can really connect to–but there’s just enough, here, to make David and Prof and Megan and the rest believable and relatable.</p>
<p>However, where these characters may not have the greatest depth, the chemistry between the cast is excellent, which is critical in supporting the tension in later books and makes some of the more emotional events that much more impactful (and yes, there are one or two scenes where you might need a tissue).</p>
<p>Diving into these characters a bit, starting with David, I genuinely enjoyed him as a character, even if I was frustrated by his withholding information from the team during the last book.<sup id="fnref:2" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:2" class="footnote" rel="footnote">2</a></sup> I suspect some might find his personality quirk of coming up with weird metaphors and similes to be a bit annoying, but it worked for me, introducing lighter moments in an otherwise pretty dark story. I particularly enjoyed how David inverted the usual hero trope by <em>not</em> developing powers that would ultimately allow him to succeed. Rather, David’s success is rooted in his intelligence, his curiosity, and his grit, which, in a YA, is a great message for readers: being a hero doesn’t mean having superpowers.</p>
<p>Megan served as a nice contrast to David: more serious where David was silly, tough and strong where David is clever if a bit naive.<sup id="fnref:3" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:3" class="footnote" rel="footnote">3</a></sup> And inverting the typical gender trope by having Megan be the muscle while David was the brains was a nice switch-up. That, in the first book, she ended up being sullen and distant was a bit frustrating, but her reasons ended up being sound, built on a backstory that ensures Megan isn’t just David’s love interest: there’s a real person, there, with her own hurts and traumas.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Prof, as the gruff father figure/leader of the group also worked well. The development of his relationship with David felt believable, and the ultimately journey of this character, while painful, worked well for me. I do wish we saw a bit of him in the epilogue of Calamity–we never really saw the aftermath of his experiences and how things turned out–but there’s only so many pages you can write.</p>
<p>The rest of the supporting cast was absolutely enjoyable. I love Cody’s quirkiness, Abraham’s quiet competence, Tia’s brilliance, and Mizzy’s bubbly energy. To be honest, if there’s one thing I wish, it’s that we got some Mizzy in the first book.</p>
<p>Oh, and I have to admit, I absolutely <em>loved</em> Obliteration. He is hands down one of the weirdest, creepiest villains Sanderson has written, and I loved every single scene he was in!</p>
<p>In terms of setting, if you’re familiar with Mistborn or The Stormlight Archives, you’ll know Sanderson loves to create strange, alien-yet-familiar worlds where the setting itself plays a critical part in the storyline. In Mistborn we have the fog. In The Stormlight Archives it’s the storms sweeping the land. Here, it’s the steel of Newcago, the waters of Babylon Restored, and the salt of Ildithia. This approach to setting is one of the things I love about Sanderson’s work. As an author, he’s frequently noted for his deep, logical systems of magic, where the plot flows from the natural consequences of those systems. But often overlooked is how he does the same with settings, creating weird, unique places, and then exploring the consequences of those oddities; consequences that ultimately play an important role in the story. Here, Sanderson is true to form, and each setting works quite well, giving each book its own unique identity<sup id="fnref:4" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:4" class="footnote" rel="footnote">4</a></sup>.</p>
<p>Finally, we come to the plot.</p>
<p>Like Mistborn, these books are really about a team working together to fight a greater foe. As a result, you’ll see a familiar trope, here: the plucky band of rebels, creating plans and executing them, then coping as the plan makes contact with the enemy. Critically, Sanderson’s approach to this trope means that, unlike in, say, <a href="/2022/08/28/review-morning-star.html">The Red Rising series</a>, there is no withholding information from the reader as a way to create artificial surprise or tension. The characters largely know as much about the plan as we do, and the tension arises when those plans go haywire.<sup id="fnref:5" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:5" class="footnote" rel="footnote">5</a></sup></p>
<p>However, when it comes down to it, it’s hard for me to pick a favourite in the series. The first book, Steelheart, is great if only because the plot comes to a clean and satisfying climax that, yes, sets up the next book, but stands neatly on its own.</p>
<p>Firefight, by contrast, is clearly the start of a duology. That’s not to say there isn’t a solid resolution to the core plot of the book–there absolutely is–but the book ends in a cliffhanger setup that makes reading Calamity absolutely mandatory. However, in Firefight the stakes are much bigger, and as a result, the tension is that much more pronounced, which means the Sanderson Avalanche at the end is incredibly satisfying.</p>
<p>Calamity, though, is clearly the weakest of the three, if only because the ending really is weaker than I’m used to expecting from a Brandon Sanderson book.<sup id="fnref:6" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:6" class="footnote" rel="footnote">6</a></sup> Ultimately, the climax, here, felt a bit perfunctory and the explanations thin, leaving as many questions as answers. On the other hand, I will say, I absolutely loved that, once again, in an inversion of the typical trope, superpowers were not the answer to defeating the Big Bad in this book. I just wish the ending worked better than it did.</p>
<p>Now, off the top I mentioned my wife and I listened to the audio versions of these books, and I wanted to throw a quick shout-out to <a href="https://www.macleodandrews.com/">MacLeod Andrews</a>, who did an exceptional job performing these books. He made each of these characters truly come alive with their own unique voices and style<sup id="fnref:7" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:7" class="footnote" rel="footnote">7</a></sup>. Mr. Andrews also brought his voice acting chops to the table, throwing in coughs and gasps and other elements where appropriate, which really brought the story to life. If you prefer to listen to books rather than reading them, I can’t recommend Mr. Andrews’ performance enough!</p>
<p>Alright, so that’s it. I hope you enjoyed that, Future Brett!</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Cody, in particular, reminds me a <em>lot</em> of Wayne from the second Mistborn trilogy: Cody, with his habit of making up exaggerated stories of his past, and Wayne, the thief who never steals but only trades things. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:2" role="doc-endnote">
<p>I was honestly a bit surprised by the use of this gimmick. Sanderson doesn’t normally fall victim to that trope, but it seems he couldn’t help himself. <a href="#fnref:2" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:3" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Yeah, David’s fawning over Megan in the first book was pretty painful, but I have to remind myself this <em>is</em> a YA, and teenagers will be teenagers. <a href="#fnref:3" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:4" role="doc-endnote">
<p>My personal favourite was the nighttime imagery of Babylon Reborn, with its glowing paint and island high-rises. <a href="#fnref:4" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:5" role="doc-endnote">
<p>In fact, there was one specific moment in the series where one character says to another, paraphrasing (to avoid spoilers), “I think I’ve figured out the answer…”, and my Red Rising PTSD had me assuming that the scene would fade to black and we, the reader, would be left in the dark. Thankfully, Sanderson doesn’t rely on these kinds of cheesy gimmicks. <a href="#fnref:5" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:6" role="doc-endnote">
<p>And yes, I came to this conclusion on my own before I read reviews from others, though obviously I was curious if other folks felt the same way I did. Answer: yes. <a href="#fnref:6" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:7" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Though, I gotta say, Mr. Andrews needs to work on that uneven French accent! <a href="#fnref:7" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caReview: Apex2023-11-04T11:57:50-04:002023-11-04T11:57:50-04:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/04/review-apex<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/9780857664020.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/9780857664020.jpg"></a></p><p>Unlike <a href="https://celebrityreaders.com">my wife</a>, writing reviews for books isn’t something I automatically think of doing. But I always regret not doing it because, years later, they help remind my poor, addled brain what I thought about a book or series. My memory, it’s not great!</p>
<p>So, here I am at the end of The Nexus Trilogy, and I’m gonna try to write a (brief? I dunno, we’ll see!) review of Apex particularly but the whole series in general. We’ll see how this goes.</p>
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<hr />
<p>This trilogy explores a pretty fascinating idea that, while not entirely original, is presented in an interesting way: the idea of a technology that can marry with the mind to create an enhanced human capable of engaging in a collective consciousness. Obviously the most memorable version of this idea is Star Trek’s <a href="https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Borg">Borg</a>, but there’s plenty of other examples (The Matrix, for example, also edges into this domain). Naam does a pretty good job of painting a near future world where this kind of technology emerges, and some of the consequences that result. This isn’t the kind of deep world building you see in The Expanse or The Polity, but it’s pretty well done.</p>
<p>The concept of Nexus itself is drawn in an interesting way, though I’ll admit the idea of a digital technology in the human mind drawing a heads-up display in the user’s field of view, complete with buttons and menus, struck me as a little bit kitschy. Still, I like the idea and I could see off-shoot books being written in this world, either by the author or fans. There’s a lot, here, to dive into.</p>
<p>As far as characters go, I’d describe these books as… average? While each character has a fairly unique voice and style, with, in a few cases, a little bit of backstory, there’s not a <em>lot</em> of depth here. Sure, Sam, Rangan, and to a lesser extent Kade, go on a pretty traumatic character journey that affects their outlook on the world. But the rest largely seem to be along for the ride, each a two-dimensional archetype: the enhanced solider, the serene Buddhist, the angry terrorist. But where it matters, there’s enough depth in the key characters to create conflict and tension that keep things interesting.</p>
<p>The plot itself, across all three books, was interesting and fairly driving, though it’s here that I have to admit I felt like I was reading a Heinlein book, in that it often felt like a thinly veiled political treatise.</p>
<p>These books are clearly written from a techno-optimist, libertarian perspective. The heroes are plucky individual hackers, trying to advance the human condition<sup id="fnref:1" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote" rel="footnote">1</a></sup>. The villains are governments<sup id="fnref:2" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:2" class="footnote" rel="footnote">2</a></sup>, or people victimized by them in some fashion. At a time when highly disruptive technologies like generative AI are taking off and we’re asking ourselves important questions about the costs and benefits of technological advancement (e.g. algorithmic social media), The Nexus Trilogy feels almost quaint in its thesis that technology is good and only the people trying to stop its advancement are bad. Now, in fairness, I felt the first book did a pretty good job of taking a fairly balanced look at the impacts of something like Nexus. It was only in Crux and Apex that I felt the books became a little more… transparent.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, notably absent is the role of corporations in the world Naam posits, which strikes me as an incredibly odd omission. The ability to augment the human brain is unleashed on the world, and corporations aren’t front and center in its development and exploitation? Colour me skeptical.</p>
<p>That said, the action was driving, with a climax that would make Brandon Sanderson proud. I definitely had trouble putting Crux down during the last dozen or so chapters.</p>
<p>So, would I recommend these books? If you’re looking for more concept-driven near-future speculative fiction that edges into military sci-fi at times, I’d say yes. The ideas are solid, the action and tension are excellent, and the plot is ultimately pretty satisfying.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for something a lot more character driven, or you’re not a fan of books built around techno-libertarian ideas of the future (and I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan), you might want to pass.</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1" role="doc-endnote">
<p>While practicing Vipassana meditation. Repeatedly. Naam <em>really</em> loves meditation. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:2" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Particularly the American and Chinese governments… <a href="#fnref:2" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caRibs and Stripes2023-11-01T11:32:31-04:002023-11-01T11:32:31-04:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/11/01/ribs-and-stripes<p>This is an evolution of my <a href="/2023/10/22/a-sock-experiment.html">sock experiment</a>, this time incorporating a 3x1 rib along the top of the foot and up the leg, which adds a bit of texture and stretch to the fabric.</p>
<p>I’m also expanding these notes a bit so future me has a chance of remembering what I did.</p>
<p>As an aside, I am unreasonably proud of how well I matched up the stripes on these socks.</p>
<ol>
<li>Cast on 32 sts with Judy’s Magic Cast-on, increase to 60 sts arranged across four needles<sup id="fnref:1" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote" rel="footnote">1</a></sup> as 13, 13, 17, 17.</li>
<li>For the ribbing across the top of the foot: (k3, p1)*, k2</li>
<li>For the heel stitch across the bottom<sup id="fnref:2" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:2" class="footnote" rel="footnote">2</a></sup>:
<ol>
<li>R1: k1, (s1, k1)*, k1</li>
<li>R2: knit across</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>At 13 cm from toe, begin gusset increases every other row, 10 per side, knitting across the increased stitches in subsequent rows<sup id="fnref:3" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:3" class="footnote" rel="footnote">3</a></sup>.</li>
<li>At 18 cm from toe, knit flap in heel stitch across 16 sts and 24 rows.</li>
<li>Turn, join up, decrease to 60 sts, and knit leg.<sup id="fnref:4" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:4" class="footnote" rel="footnote">4</a></sup></li>
<li>Finish with 4 cm of 1x1 rib</li>
<li>Bind off with Jeny’s Super Stretchy Bind-off.</li>
</ol>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Have I ever mentioned I knit socks using five DPNs, with an increase to six during the heel flap section? Try it! Four DPNs is terrible as those 60 degree corners make the piece more awkward to work with and increase the odds of laddering. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:2" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Note, as with the sock experiment, I periodically did a short row in the slip stitch section to even out the length. I did the turns before the last stitch in each direction. <a href="#fnref:2" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:3" role="doc-endnote">
<p>The issue, here, is we want to preserve the width of the heel stitch section, not expand it with the gusset. So, with the stitches arranged as described, on needle 3 I did a m1r after the first knit stitch, then knit until I reached the heel stitch section. Then I continued to the end of the heel stitch section, then knit to the second last stitch of needle 4 and performed a m1l. I did this section visually but you might want to use stitch markers to indicate the start and end of the heel stitch section. <a href="#fnref:3" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:4" role="doc-endnote">
<p>On the last decrease round I actually decreased twice on the same side so that when I resumed the 3x1 rib, the purl stitches would line up with the knit stitches in the heel stitch section. This ensures the ribbed texture carries through. <a href="#fnref:4" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231101_152457831.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231101_152457831.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/0434fe05834409ae.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/0434fe05834409ae.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caAnother sock done (first of a…2023-10-29T22:11:00-04:002023-10-29T22:11:00-04:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/10/29/another-sock-done-first-of-a<p>Another sock done (first of a pair)! Like my last pair, these socks have a slip stitch bottom and then I added a 3x1 rib on the top and leg for a little stretch and texture. Meanwhile I finished the second toe, and I actually tried to make the stripes match this time….</p>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/bb02a821-4175-4094-b42b-38c0609e282e.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/bb02a821-4175-4094-b42b-38c0609e282e.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caA sock experiment2023-10-22T00:37:57-04:002023-10-22T00:37:57-04:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/10/22/a-sock-experiment<p>These socks follow my standard toe-up design with no real pattern on the top of the foot or the leg. What makes them interesting is the use of a Heel Stitch on the whole bottom of the foot, which is a very simple:</p>
<ol>
<li>R1: (S1, K1) to end of row</li>
<li>R2: K to end of row</li>
</ol>
<p>The result is thicker than standard stockinette and is quite durable.</p>
<p>Using heel stitch took a bit of care<sup id="fnref:1" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote" rel="footnote">1</a></sup>, as the row and stitch gauge for heel stitch is higher than that for regular stockinette, which affects both sizing and shaping, but I really liked how it turned out!</p>
<p>The basic template is:</p>
<ol>
<li>Cast on 36 sts with Judy’s Magic Cast-on and increase to 62, arranged across four needles as 15, 15, 16, 16.</li>
<li>Knit across needles 1 and 2, heel stitch across needles 3 and 4.</li>
<li>On bottom periodically add a short-row to even up length.<sup id="fnref:2" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:2" class="footnote" rel="footnote">2</a></sup></li>
<li>At 13cm from toe start gusset, increase 10 stitches per side.<sup id="fnref:3" role="doc-noteref"><a href="#fn:3" class="footnote" rel="footnote">3</a></sup></li>
<li>Knit flap in heel stitch across 16 sts and 20 rows.</li>
<li>Turn, join up, decrease to 60 sts, and knit leg.</li>
<li>Finish with twisted stitch rib (k1 tbl, p1).</li>
<li>Bind off with Jeny’s Super Stretchy Bind-off.</li>
</ol>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1" role="doc-endnote">
<p>In particular, as you’ll note in the template, I made use of short rows on the bottom of the foot to accommodate for the higher row gauge. This prevents the sock from curling downward. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:2" role="doc-endnote">
<p>After completing a slip stitch row, turn, purl back, turn, then do another slip stitch row. <a href="#fnref:2" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:3" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Don’t forget to continue adding short rows in the heel stitch section. <a href="#fnref:3" class="reversefootnote" role="doc-backlink">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231022_042735852.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231022_042735852.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231022_042805618.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231022_042805618.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231022_043041353.jpg"><img src="https://b-ark.ca/assets/images/reduced/PXL_20231022_043041353.jpg"></a></p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.caFramework owners running…2023-10-20T00:25:44-04:002023-10-20T00:25:44-04:00https://b-ark.ca/2023/10/20/framework-owners-running<p>Framework owners running Debian testing: if disable-while-typing is not working, I think this is because the libinput quirks file contains a bug and is using an old key.</p>
<p>In /usr/share/libinput/50-framework.quirks change:</p>
<div class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code>AttrEventCodeDisable=BTN_RIGHT
</code></pre></div></div>
<p>to</p>
<div class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code>AttrEventCode=-BTN_RIGHT
</code></pre></div></div>
<p>I can’t say this is definitely the culprit, but DWT is now working for me.</p>Brett Kosinskibrettk@b-ark.cahttps://b-ark.ca