Brambonius
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brambonius.bsky.social
Brambonius
@brambonius.bsky.social
1.8K followers 900 following 3.3K posts
Officially an Earthling, creative in several ways and possibly out of the box (is there even one?), might use English, Dutch and other languages. Beware!
Human rights and the golden rule are a minimum!
All social constructs might need deconstruction...
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brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips
It's the 27th century and at the end of their first meeting she gives him her phone number...
(They don't live that far from each other but still they grew up in completely different world)
We have a Hévan ambassador now and the Afropean embassy, which also is a contact point for the Planetary Council. I know all of the important people there and they’re all nice.’ She winked and took a dramatic pose, which he ignored. ‘So they gave you that shirt?’ ‘They had to get new ones for official purposes, the logos on these are outdated. But if you like them, there’s still lots of them, maybe I could get you one too.’ ‘Eh, maybe? Aren’t you trying to give me too much things?’ he said shyly. ‘Sharing is fun. That’s how we do it here.’ ‘I’m not used to it.’ ‘As you can see, this place is a modern and inclusive community with international connections where resources are shared with everyone who needs them, or just for fun. We do have more than just organic vegetables, craft beers and, fresh chicken meat on Thursday every two weeks you know… We also do…’ She sounded a bit like a talking touristic brochure now, but his focus had gone elsewhere at this point. ‘I see my mother…’ He said apologetically. ‘She’ll want me to go home with her.’ ‘Ah, yes…’The girl looked a bit dejected. ‘Hey, can we see each other again?’ He said before she could ask the same question. ‘Sure, here’s my name, you can reach me with the Pen Pal network, just use Seventh City Ghost Town as the address, and this is the number of the telephone of our block. Oh, and I have email too now, but I don’t check it much… There’s an Internet line from here to the City.’ She spoke fast while she scribbled on a piece of paper that she had produced as if out of nothing. When she heard his mother speak his name he gave her the paper, and he was gone, like a djinn summoned back to another world.
November 30, 2025 at 9:22 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
If you see this, I IMPLORE you to post a picture from whatever device you're using without explanation.
November 28, 2025 at 5:57 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips, back to A Nation of Distances

Eliza isn't a typical 27th century Nation girl, and neither is Megan. The dystopian Wife School system wasn't for them, but this job doesn't do it for Eliza either...
‘And, how’s work going?’ Megan asked Eliza while they were cooking fresh Ghost Town vegetables with supermarket-bought lab-meat. She had been back for two weeks and both were home for a rare supper together. ‘City offices are so basic. I reorganised the whole system already, and now it’s quite boring. Not enough work for the time I have, so I’ve been reading more books.’ Megan grinned. ‘So that’s where my “history of the theories of relativity after Einstein” went?’ ‘That one, plus “anarchist theories of non-government” and a little silly romance book from Samantha. What else is a working woman to do? Paint my nails while staring at my desk? I might seem to be living in a 21 century drama sometimes; but too much 21st century drama is too much. I don’t even like painted nails that much. Looks too much like that old painting called ‘goth boys’. You know, the boys in black with black fingernails, mid-21st century.’ ‘You must be the only person on the planet who thinks of that old painting when someone says painted nails, and not of feminine clichés. Come, can you chop the choy cabbage with me?’ Eliza washed the white leaf stems and cut them into pieces, and then she started peeling a couple of big yellow carrots.
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
Writer problems:
November 24, 2025 at 1:36 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips, sorta unedited
Ronan's mother isn't really happy with the high view the outlaws have of her son. Or is it the word 'couple' she's uneasy about?
‘My Ronan, a lecture? Why?’ Yanna said. Sophia seemed to be weighing her words. ‘Miss mother of Ronan, your son is an intelligent boy. He has read a lot of complicated books and can explain them well too. He would be a good lecturer.’ ‘But he’s not even doing well in school.’ ‘He says the classes are too dumb to keep his attention. And they expect all those things from him that don’t work with his sort of brains. So could he please come to our school and talk about Héva with Pyra?’ ‘His father isn’t going to like it…’ She looked in the distance. ‘We could do it in the weekend too. I know some adults who would be interested in hearing them as well.’ ‘But he might be shy in front of an audience.’ Lily said. ‘Why do you think he could even do that? My poor boy is going to be under heavy stress. He’s going to need rest and he’ll probably need some weeks home from school after such a traumatising experience.’ ‘We’ll see when he comes back. From what I’ve heard from my colleague the kids might be right.’ Eliza said, signalling Yana not to speak yet. ‘What did you hear?’ ‘Oh, I’ve called the oakwood project to ask how it went, and they had the same idea in the oakwood project about them being learners. Actually they have made their debut already. Like the kids said they gave a lecture on Héva and did it well, even Amber was impressed. They worked together like a good team too, like an adult couple of international learners would. They took it quite seriously, and didn’t just give their story, but also some interesting and nuanced details about Hévan society. It would be a shame to not let them do that again here.’ ‘See, I told you!’ Sophia high-fived Terry. ‘A couple of international learners?’ Naomi said, moving uneasily.
November 24, 2025 at 11:16 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
Tried it with 'I am alien take me to leader of planet' myself and it takes forever to generate a response.

(It asked for my location too and I declined)

Did I break it?
November 22, 2025 at 5:52 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
And this is from 'AI generated nonsense' on FB, for if you happen to be a lost kitten reading this...

That AI thing in Google really is the worst
The screenshot shows a Google search result for the query "im a feline baby where is my mom". The AI Overview (Google's AI-generated summary) provides the following advice for a kitten looking for its mother: Listen for her: Kittens are born without a sense of smell, so listening for the mother's meows or calls can help locate her. Follow her scent: If you can find her scent, follow it to find your mother. Look for her: Visually search the area to see if you can spot her. Contact a local animal shelter: If you cannot find your mother, reach out to a local animal shelter or humane society for help reuniting with her.
November 22, 2025 at 4:56 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
Hmm...

This wording of the copyright page of the Project Gutenberg Simple Sabotage Field Manual by United States Office of Strategic Services starts with:

"This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States"

Okay...
November 22, 2025 at 4:33 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
This Dutch edition of 'the hobbit' is still on my want list...
November 21, 2025 at 12:01 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips
His friendship with Pyra will take Ronan's life in a new direction...
November 21, 2025 at 11:38 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”
November 20, 2025 at 7:14 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips
Ronan's mother is having thoughts about taking him to the outlaw village, but for him nothing special is going on...
So, what’s going on with you and that outlaw girl?’ His mother tried again. ‘Nothing special, mum. I was just making friends.’ ‘Making friends?’ She looked at her son and stopped. ‘With her? Why don’t you make friends in boy school like a normal schoolboy?’ ‘The boys in school either ignore me or bully me. And she just made me feel at ease. That’s what friends should do.’ ‘Her? She looked quite wild. What would you even like about her?’ ‘She was just nice to me? And she knows a lot of interesting things. I bet she can tell me the history of her village much better than any of my teachers or schoolbooks can. And she has connections.’ ‘Don’t you think associating with people like her is a good…’ his mother tried, but he interrupted her. ‘If you didn’t want me to like the people there, you shouldn’t have brought me there.’ ‘Your father isn’t going to like this. And your grandma even less.’ ‘Well don’t tell them then. I’m not trying to get validation from grandma. She’s exhausting, she has no sense of boundaries and she’s full of stupid ideas about men and women. She acts like we’re still in the days of Wife Schools and Alpha supremacy.’ ‘Don’t disrespect your family, Ronan!’ ‘I always give people the respect they deserve.’ She stopped, and she wanted to say something, but took a deep breath before she spoke again. ‘Ronan, you’re being blunt again. It’s extremely rude to say such a thing.’ ‘I only speak the truth. But I will stop this conversation now. I know when it’s time to shut up…’ The rest of their walk home, which was still almost an hour by foot, was done in silence. Both of them had their own train of thoughts going on in their minds though that they couldn’t talk to the other about.
November 20, 2025 at 5:15 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
Random bad idea from the internet for today
November 20, 2025 at 6:55 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
Also, maybe Eliza's utilitarian oxytocin theories in the Wife School dystopia arc in ANOD are probably a bit controversial too. #Lovember
And not at all the sort of thing expected from a Wife School student either, but Eliza is Eliza. And she does like him (strictly Platonic)
November 19, 2025 at 9:53 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For #Lovember
I have no idea what is controversial and what isn't in my stories even though I have some less expected angles sometimes, but some people seem to think the 'you can't be lovers if you can't be friends first' thing to be quite alien it seems...
He didn’t answer, and suddenly seemed to freeze. For a while she sat next to him, unsure of how to react, and then she grabbed his hand. ‘Hey, it’s okay.’ She finally said. ‘But… I can’t… I never planned… It’s not for… Not with…’ He slowly stuttered. She gave him a hug. ‘It’s okay.’ ‘It would be inappropriate. And wrong. And I want us to stay friends. I need you as a friend.’ ‘Every good couple I’ve seen are good friends first. It’s the Ghost Town way of being a couple. You can’t be lovers if you’re not friends first.’ ‘But you would reject me, and then nothing would be the same. My stupid feelings will ruin everything…’ ‘I know you’re not good with body language or with hints, but did you notice that I’m doing the opposite of rejecting you, dummy?’ ‘You’re just comforting me as a friend and you don’t want to hurt me? I don’t know. Please don’t let go, but it’s confusing too.’ ‘Did the possibility that maybe I like you too, as more than a friend, ever come up in your head, silly?’
November 19, 2025 at 9:40 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
Meekness is not a feminine trait, it's a trait of those who will inherit the Earth according to Christ...
November 19, 2025 at 6:23 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips

The third woman was Ronan's mother, and was a lot less relaxed than the other two...
Three women were sitting on a table in the Ghost Town bar. Elder Eliza was relaxedly drinking a beans-coffee, looking at the shapes in the vapour. Next her was Yanna with a fresh iced three herbs and an ancient fantasy book from the outlaw library to pass the time. Both had been laughing and joking while waiting for the van with the missing kids would arrive. The third woman was Naomi, who had a Nation-coffee and looked nervously at her watch. As a City woman she felt completely out of place here, and she felt the anxiety about her son rise. ‘So you’re sure they will be here soon?’ ‘Sarah is always reliable, she’ll be here in time with the post and with supplies. And today with the lost duo.’ Eliza said, sipping her coffee. ‘My poor boy. Abducted to Héva. What a horrible thing to happen. I hope he’s okay.’ Naomi moaned. ‘They seem to be okay from what I heard. And he shouldn’t have gone into that aeroplane without talking to anything about it.’ Eliza said. ‘It was that girl. It was her fault. He would not have done that himself. He always follows the rules.’ ‘They’re both responsible for their deeds. 15 is not a real child anymore.’ Eliza said. ‘But he’s vulnerable with his condition. And that girl is reckless. She’s a bad influence.’ ‘Hey, my daughter might be a bit impulsive, but she’s very responsible too. I’m quite sure they’ve taken care of each other. They’re good friends after all.’ Yanna finally interrupted to defend her own daughter. ‘But his disabilities… He can’t handle stress. And then with a girl. He’s going to do stupid things. He’s going to get interested in girls and all.’ ‘They’re friends, so evidently they’re interested in each other. Or do you mean that they have the age that they can start falling in love? But why would that be a problem?’ Eliza asked with a frown.
November 19, 2025 at 8:59 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
For an earlier #NovemberWorldbuilders
I forgot that a weird water animal was mentioned: Old Fred is a giant ghost sturgeon, called so because they are an albino popuation of feral hybrid sturgeons that have taken the role of the extinct wild species in the 27th century.
He's not dangerous.
November 18, 2025 at 9:05 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
for the #WIPSnips, going with 'backwards' as a synonym too since astrology isn't really on the radar here...

Donnie doesn't have much experience with girls, and Pyra is rather intimidating probably.
‘And there are my supposed friends…’ He sighed, pointing at a gang of boys. ‘Ah’ Pyra said nothing and looked at the approaching group of Nation boys, mostly Deltas and Gammas. ‘Wow, Ronan, you’ve got a girl with you?’ Donnie said. ‘Watch out, she’s an outlaw. They can be witches.’ Augie pointed at her Free Person badge. ‘I greet you, noble City boys. May blessings shine upon our time of meeting.’ Pyra said, making a ritual gesture. ‘Eh, what?’ Augie said, taking a step backwards. ‘Never read Anilla the juvenile witch? You wanted a witch, you get one…’ Pyra said, grinning. ‘Eh, I don’t think they read 22th centurie books, Pyra,’ Said Ronan, who had recognised the reference. ‘Pity, much more interesting than any Nation book for boys I’ve ever read. Man those are a waste of time. I’d rather reread the whole of ‘Lonesome George’s lonely hearts club band’ then.’ ‘You hadn’t told us she’s a brainie,’ Donnie said. ‘She’s the smartest person I’ve ever met, by far,’ he said, ‘but that’s not the point. I just like being with her. She’s fun. Most smart or beautiful people are just annoying and no fun to be with.’ Donnie stared at Pyra, who clearly wasn’t intimidated at all by the group of Nation boys, even if most of them had a much higher ranking than Ronan. ‘It’s not fair. How can a stupid Epsilon like him have a girlfriend like that.’ Augie said. ‘She’s not my girlfriend. She’s a good friend who’s a girl.’ He said. ‘I’m unmarriable anyway. I can’t think of girls like that.’
November 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips
Spending time in Héva is an experience...
They told me there was a couple of Ghost Town kids that I had to take back.’ Pyra looked at the newcomer. The man was dressed in a suit in grey blue, wearing a rainbow shawl and a shiny uniform cap. He looked more relaxed and chill than anyone they’d seen in Héva. Plus he was a man; and it was rather strange to see one after spending several days in Héva. ‘Eh, we’re not a couple, but yes, they don’t seem to want us here for too long. The country of only women doesn’t like boys for some reason to start with. They seem to think his maleness is contagious or something like that. Are they treating you differently too?’ The man started laughing and looked at the badges on their chest. ‘Couple just means an amount of two in Afropea. But I never have problems as an outsider in héva when I stay in the airport. I’m not allowed in the actual country, only in the international zone.’ ‘Still, after all that violent rhetoric… Allowing you is a bit of an anticlimax.’ ‘Economics still trump their hate of men it seems… And don’t you know you’re not supposed to say stuff like that out loud while on this Island, little outlaw lady?’ ‘You can make the outlaw communities official, but you can’t tame us!’ She stuck out her tongue. ‘I’m starting to see why the Sisterhood would want you to leave as soon as possible. So you two arrived here as stowaways? How did that even happen?’ ‘We were just checking out of books that were in the plane, the cargo from Afropea to Hévan, and then the aeroplane took off… No-one warned us.’ ‘But you probably weren’t supposed to be there either?’ ‘Ambassador Jibrilla always says we can look wherever we want. And the box had interesting books. They’re wasted on a place like this.’ ‘It was stupid of you. And now you’re stuck here, with a boy, in the land without men. And the Sisters don’t like it. It seems they really want me to bring you back to Nation Island. They were persistent.’
November 17, 2025 at 10:30 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips
She was running, but she stopped when she saw him, and that's how they met (and how she was too late in school)...

(Yes, both the beginning here and the end of this first chapter that I posted recently use the 'Ghibli bird technique')
A grey landgull circled over the market square of Seventh City Ghost Town, casting a slowly-moving cross-shaped shadow on its cobblestones which were half overgrown with grass, while it peered in vain for trash to feed on. After a while it landed and shrieked, still ignored by the locals who just went on with their daily business on this lazy Wednesday afternoon. A young woman drove her carrier bicycle full of robot components and was passed by a few shoppers from the City, looking for fresh vegetables and other specialities at the local shop. Another woman in a flowery dress walked hastily, almost ran, to the little town hall office while she nearly bumped into the big bird, which flew away again in protest. No one took any notice of the boy either. He just stood there, all by himself, without doing anything, and he clearly didn’t belong there. He seemed rather invisible. The only one to notice him was a girl, roughly his age, who was running too but when she passed him she unexpectedly stopped to look at him. ‘Hey, I’ve never seen you here before.’ The boy looked at the newcomer. She was very different from the girls he knew in the City, with wild red curls and intense blue eyes full of curiosity. She wore no make-up or jewellery, and was dressed in old-fashioned ragged blue-cotton pants combined with an over-sized T-shirt in dark green with the words ‘Planetary Council’ and the PL-logo next to it. But the most important thing was her warm smile, and the fact that she came quite close. She put out her hand to shake his, which he awkwardly accepted. ‘Yeah, I live in the City. First time being here.’
November 16, 2025 at 8:53 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
I like all of these in books indeed
November 15, 2025 at 11:33 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
for the #WIPsnips
Pyra and Ronan, back from the country with no men, and Pyra is in activist mode about specifics in the system of The Nation (she's not wrong tho) while Ronan is naturally doing things he'd never do at home...
‘You two look like you didn’t sleep at all.’ ‘Yeah, we needed to talk about things. And he needed to know that he’s worth hugging. Boys don’t get enough hugs in The Nation. Actually none at all it seems. Confounded troglodytes! And then they dare to say they made progress with human rights in the last 25 yeaes. Everyone has the right to get hugs!’ ‘Ah’ Fergo certainly wasn’t awake enough himself for Pyra in activist mode. ‘They always said I don’t like hugs, because of my supposed condition and all’ Ronan added, ‘they were very wrong. I just hate being touched by the wrong person. And now I’m the only Nation boy ever to be hugged by a Hévan girl in Héva. So much for the patient being averse of physical contact and touch.’ ‘Oh, another thing from those autism books? They are rubbish indeed.’ Pyra said, her blue eyes even more fiery than her red hair now. Fergo looked from Pyra to Ronan, and sighed. ‘Actually I came to tell you that there’s a truck going to Seventh City tomorrow. So you’ll have to wait one more day…’ ‘Ah, fun. One more day of vacation… We can use it.’ Pyra yawned. ‘Shouldn’t we help in the community if we receive their hospitality?’ Ronan asked. ‘That’s the other thing I had to talk about. Are you comfortable with a presentation in our community school to tell our youngsters about Héva this afternoon? I suppose a lot of our adults want to hear the story too by the way. Including Amber herself.’ ‘Ah…’ Ronan said. ‘Do you think we can do that? Are you not too shy?’ Pyra looked at bit unsure at him. ‘Eh, if it’s together with you, and only here, I think it’s okay.’ He said, a bit unsure. ‘We haven’t had an international learner couple as guest speakers in ages.’ Fergo said. ‘Hey, what did you call us?’
November 15, 2025 at 9:21 AM
brambonius.bsky.social
Old and damaged book maybe, but Wells is always a fascinating read!
The first men in the moon by HG Welles, slightly damaged book
November 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM
brambonius.bsky.social
For the #WIPsnips
The significance of weeks here is that female Ghist Town outlaws traditionally ate meat (usually just chicken) once in a week, usally on thursdays... The rest is ecology and politics.
‘Deer stew?’ Ronan asked, looking at the brown mass on his plate. ‘I’ve never had it before. No-one in The Nation I think.’ ‘Oh, it’s quite rare even in Ghost Towns, but sometimes deer are hunted, yes. And it’s great! It’s made heavy Manfred beers, but it has no alcohol.’ Pyra said, gobbling up as as much as possible. ‘You’re lucky indeed, it’s not every week that we have it. But yes, the deer population has boomed in this part of The Nation, and some minor hunting is allowed now. Even the panthers and an occasional bear are not enough anymore to control it if I’m honest.’ The man scooped up potatoes for both of them. ‘But I’ve always heard that it’s strictly forbidden.’ Ronan said. ‘Oh, that’s the silliness of Manfred originalism. In his days animals were rare, but almost two hundred years without hunting has had their numbers explode again while the wilderness recovered. I’m quite sure that some of your Nation hunters are back to shooting deer again illegally, but officially no innovations or amendments can be made to Manfred’s doctrine are allowed, and he was very strict. Plus those conservative Manfredists are still angry about all the changes they had to accept in the days of Eliza te reformer to be able to trade with the Planetary Council, and they seem hellbent on not having any new innovations ever.’ ‘Well, at least shooting deer is better than shooting feral men, like they used to do.’ Pyra said. ‘That was also part of the reform. But there still less ferals than there used to be. A lot of the hopeless men joined the female outlaw system and became Ghost Town citizens too. And those that didn’t avoid us like the plague for some reason…’
November 14, 2025 at 1:17 PM