Then I began tooting my #music and a ton of #puns#jokes, and #memes. And you all responded so genuinely, and with such positivity, that I very quickly was made to feel at home.
My deepest gratitude goes out to the #Mastodon community, a #community that has literally improved the quality of my time on this spinning rock as it hurtles through space, towards a future that seems more uncertain every day. It’s unlike any other “social media platform” here.
Today, I celebrate the arbitrary milestone of five thousand followers, and I just wanted to say thank you.
Thank you for the favourites, the boosts, the follows, and the comments.
Thank you for your conversations, discussions, and corrections.
Thank you for listening to my music and sharing your thoughts on it with me, and for following along on your chosen streaming service. This has been amazing.
But, above all, I’d like to thank you all for making Mastodon the friendly and welcoming place that it is. My experience here is one of wonderful acceptance, and it has been truly humbling. There is nowhere else quite like it.
Massive big huge love to you all,
- Jon (Dgar)
I tooted Hello World on November 30, 2022.
Then I began tooting my #music and a ton of #puns#jokes, and #memes. And you all responded so genuinely, and with such positivity, that I very quickly was made to feel at home.
My deepest gratitude goes out to the #Mastodon community, a #community that has literally improved the quality of my time on this spinning rock as it hurtles through space, towards a future that seems more uncertain every day. It’s unlike any other “social media platform” here.
I make music, and Mastodon is awesome for reaching an audience.
I know most of you follow me for the stolen jokes and stay for… also the jokes, but many of you have also blessed me by listening to and boosting my music, and some have even followed me on their chosen music streaming service!! ❤️ That is so amazing, I cannot thank you enough. 🫵🤗
Big love to you all! 🫶
Here is a list of my music profile links on various streaming platforms. A follow on any of them means the world to me!
Below the links are some screenshots of my favourite comments from the Mastodon community. 🤩😍
I make music, and Mastodon is awesome for reaching an audience.
I know most of you follow me for the stolen jokes and stay for… also the jokes, but many of you have also blessed me by listening to and boosting my music, and some have even followed me on their chosen music streaming service!! ❤️ That is so amazing, I cannot thank you enough. 🫵🤗
If you spend any real time on Mastodon, you will discover that some people take their #AltText very seriously indeed, and some may wonder "Why?".
Mastodon tries to be a place for all people, where everyone can have a voice, connect with like-minded people, and catch up on news and current events, regardless of ability. There are many vision impaired people who follow me now, and I try to make sure that my #AltText serves it's intended purposes.
Here is my approach. Imagine you are describing the image to a friend with perfect eyesight, but is sitting out of view of the picture, like a friend on the other side of your desk who can't see the screen. Tell them the point of the picture, why it's there, what it means in context to the toot.
This example photo may have alt text as follows: A colour photograph of a black Steinway Grand Piano, with lid open and keyboard of black and white keys exposed. The branding "Steinway & Sons" can be seen written in gold above the keys and on the side of the piano which sits on gold coloured wheels, off-centre in the photo to the right, upon a red wood herring bone patterned floor. A white cornice separates the floor from the grey wall behind the piano which only takes up about one third of the entire frame of the photo.
This kind of description is overkill if none of that description is relevant to the original toot, especially if you were explaining this toot to a sighted friend.
For what it's worth. ❤️
If you spend any real time on Mastodon, you will discover that some people take their #AltText very seriously indeed, and some may wonder "Why?".
Mastodon tries to be a place for all people, where everyone can have a voice, connect with like-minded people, and catch up on news and current events, regardless of ability. There are many vision impaired people who follow me now, and I try to make sure that my #AltText serves it's intended purposes.
For a few days now I am contemplating a toot about this topic.
I usually take the effort to describe in detail what is in a photo. Once on the Bluebird site I read a tweet from a blind person who asked for better descriptions in #AltTexts and explained also what screen readers are capable of and what not - for example, if there are only emojis in the handle/nickname of the tweeter, the screen reader cannot say what it means.
Since then, I changed my name handle to only letters (no special signs, no earth pictograph) and payed extra attention to what I attached to my tweets. And, I am imagining what I would like to know about a picture, if I couldn't see it. Or, try to explain it to a friend on the phone (landline, no video possible).
What is very sad is, when people just put their text from the toot above into the #AltText and think that would be enough. No. It is not.
Daedalus, according to Greek Mythology is the the father of Icarus, among other things. After attempting to murder his nephew in a bout of jealousy, he fled Athens and found refuge in Crete. The King of Crete, King Minos, welcomed him as a renowned craftsman. In other news, Poseidon, god of the sea, was keen for some good, old fashioned animal sacrifice. He gifted a bull to King Minos to sacrifice, but the King thought he’d keep this awesome specimen, and instead sacrificed a less impressive bull from his own stock. Poseidon lost his shit, as Greek gods often did, and put a curse on the Kings wife, Pasiphaë, that would cause her to lust for the Bull he had gifted her husband. So Daedalus turns up and the queen asks him to build a cow suit. And he does. And she does. And then Pasiphaë gives birth to the Minotaur, half man, half bull. King Minos loses his shit this time, as the Kings of Ancient Greece often did, and ordered Daedalus to build the Labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur. Then, Daedalus, and his son Icarus were also imprisoned in a tower. It was here that Daedalus built the wings for Icarus and himself, to escape the tower, and fly away from Crete, across the sea, to freedom.
Thread 1/3
Daedalus, according to Greek Mythology is the the father of Icarus, among other things. After attempting to murder his nephew in a bout of jealousy, he fled Athens and found refuge in Crete. The King of Crete, King Minos, welcomed him as a renowned craftsman. In other news, Poseidon, god of the sea, was keen for some good, old fashioned animal sacrifice. He gifted a bull to King Minos to sacrifice, but the King thought he’d keep this awesome specimen, and instead sacrificed a less impressive...
2/3 Icarus looked over his wings, as his father, Daedalus, tightened the leather straps that held them on.
They had been planning this moment for months, after being imprisoned by King Minos. They’ve been collecting the feathers, treating their candle wax, building the wings and keeping them concealed from the guards. Daedalus, now double-checking the straps of his own wings, indicated to Icarus to ascend the final flight of stairs to the tower roof, and followed behind him, carefully making sure their wings don’t catch on anything.
The sun was high. Icarus squinted as they came onto the roof. The ocean sparkled as the breeze rippled the water. Icarus could hear the waves faintly beneath the sounds of the guards enjoying their lunch below. They’ll be distracted, unlikely to look up from their food.
Daedalus turns his son to face him. Suddenly a guitar riff is playing. Icarus is concerned that the guards have discovered their scheme. Fear fills his eyes. Daedalus holds him firm, nodding slightly to the beat of the riff.
His father breaks into song, and Icarus realises he’s in a musical.
2/3 Icarus looked over his wings, as his father, Daedalus, tightened the leather straps that held them on.
They had been planning this moment for months, after being imprisoned by King Minos. They’ve been collecting the feathers, treating their candle wax, building the wings and keeping them concealed from the guards. Daedalus, now double-checking the straps of his own wings, indicated to Icarus to ascend the final flight of stairs to the tower roof, and followed behind him, carefully making sure...
Gregory's Server
@dgar Can’t count how many times you’ve made me smile let alone outright snortlaugh! What you send out, you give back. 🧡 Many thanks to YOU.
@dgar Thanks for the music and the puns 😊
@dgar I love how much you're enjoying this ☺️ and people enjoying your stuff