/chat/ - Chat

Digimon ~ digital monsters

I love bicycles & motorcycles

>>22386
it's cheaper to run than a car

OH WOW

The British and the Irish have difrences.


But over rainbow sprinkle ice cream, who could hate or be mad? Everyone gets along with ice cream.

>>22446
everyone scream for ice-cream

I saw Gaza Cola being sold at Cairo Takeaway recently, and rather than spend $5 on a single can, decided to maybe buy a case.


I ended up buying a slab of Gaza Cola sugar free and compared it to the memories of some Salaam Cola No Sugar that I had lying around as well as your average can of Diet Coke.

A direct head-to-head comparison was not performed, as the Salaam Cola, which I had first been introduced to by a member of the trade union movement, had somehow deflated in my pantry, and I was not comfortable drinking it.

In comparison to the Salaam Cola, the Gaza Cola was a bit lighter almost as if echoing the comparison between Diet Coke and Coke No Sugar. The bubbles seemed to be a little bit larger on the tongue and the taste was similarly less sharp almost in keeping with the different colours here.

Whilst I might enjoy a Salaam Cola No Sugar on occasion (honestly quite good with a squeeze of lime), I still think that Diet Coke is the most superior non-sugared diet cola for a sugarfree cokehead.

The Gaza Cola Sugar Free was really not that good, and now I have like 20 more of them to go and nowhere to really put them. (I no longer work in Western Sydney).

Maybe I should have just spent the $5 on a single Gaza Cola rather than $39.60 on a 24 pack case if I didn’t know if I’d like them.

Oh well, the more you know.

Ride the Lightning

Metsu~
Fireball

You can't escape. Hehe.

>>22624
At ease, loser

Absolute WW is woah. Read all about it!

My cousin sister wants to watch HOPPERS. Is it worth it?

Absolute cinema or trash?

Oomitoufor

Nobody's Journey West

O_o

Happy Easter 2026

Sunday

Harmonize!
Koseki Bijou, Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame - Somebody that i used to know #2 #hololive #envtuber

Zzzzz

Freoyummy

oh hello there

>>23120
Ahahaha

Oh crikey

Cute

>>22558
Water? Wataaaaahhhhhh

>>23431
我靠 wǒ kào means fuck.

Back to School for Friendship is Magic (the Gathering)
New (Second) Worst Value Secret Lair Drop Alert! | Magic: The Gathering

IRYS OUT!
IRIS OUT (ENGLISH COVER) ver. Zion

Knife fighter

Here comes the sun.....

I quit drinking for a year
dynomight · Apr 2026 · life
In early January 2025, a family friend was over for lunch. One of my many guilty midwit pleasures is a love of New Year’s resolutions, so I asked her if she had made any. She said no, but mentioned that she had some relatives that were doing “damp January”.

In case you’re not aware, Dry January is a challenge many people do to quit drinking alcohol during the month of January. These folks were doing a variant in which, instead of not drinking, one simply drinks less.

For some reason, this triggered me. I thought, “Are you kidding? You can’t even stop drinking for a single month? Do you know how pathetic that is?” And then, “Fuck you! Fuck you for doing damp January! You know what, I’m going to stop drinking for a year!”

To be clear, these thoughts were directed at people I’ve never even met. In retrospect, I wonder what was going on with me emotionally. But I take resolutions seriously, so I felt committed.

We are now 15 months down the timeline, so I’ll make my report.

It was easy
This will sound odd, but I swear it’s true. Not drinking was so easy that it was almost easier than my previous baseline of not-not-drinking.

Before starting this resolution, I didn’t drink much—perhaps two or three drinks per week. But I often thought about drinking. Every time I saw friends or went to a restaurant, I thought, “Should I have a drink?” Usually I decided not to. But making that decision required effort.

After a few weeks of not drinking, that question never even came up. Drinking was simply not a thing I did, so I never needed to negotiate with myself.

Theoretically, you could allow yourself one drink a month instead of zero. Theoretically, that should be easier. But I’m pretty sure I’d find it harder, because alcohol would still be an option, a thing to consider.

Sometimes I need a thing
Early on, I sometimes wanted a drink. But gradually I noticed that I didn’t really want a drink, I just wanted a thing. I can’t find a precise name for this concept in psychology, but often, some deep part of my brain seems to scream, “I WANT A THING.” It could be alcohol, but I found dessert worked just as well. I suspect that a new shirt or meeting a new dog would also work.

I was not able to stop my brain from doing this. When it demanded a thing, I gave it a thing. I just substituted a non-alcohol thing. So, over the year, I became interested in desserts and even-more interested in tea.

The struggle was The Chocolates. Shortly after I made this resolution, my mother gave me a bag of chocolates that each contained a bit of whiskey. In general, I don’t keep chocolate at home. If anyone gives me chocolate, I immediately eat all of it and then text the giver, “Thanks for the chocolate, I ate it instead of dinner, it’s all gone, this is what will always happen if you give me chocolate.”

But I couldn’t eat the Chocolates, because they contained alcohol. I managed to get guests to eat a few. A couple of times I came close to draining out the alcohol and eating the chocolate container. I even considered throwing them away, but that felt wrong. So instead I spent a year glaring at them and waiting for them to apologize for the anguish they were causing me. This represented half the difficulty of this resolution. I do not recommend it. Keep your things separate.

Alcohol is bad for sleep
Have you heard that alcohol is bad for sleep? Because alcohol is bad for sleep. I’ve always known that was true, abstractly. But sleep is variable. If I didn’t sleep well on an individual night, I was never sure: Was that because of the alcohol, or was it random variation?

After a year without alcohol, I am very confident that yes indeed, alcohol is bad for sleep, because my sleep during 2025 was much better than in previous years. Sure, like anyone else, I still sometimes wake up and start thinking about oblivion rushing towards me, and how everything I love will vanish into time, and how all that was once future and hope inevitably becomes static and dust, and how the plague of bluetooth speakers continues to spread across the globe. But now: less!

I wish there was a drug I could take that would give me energy and improve my mood and make me physically healthier and smarter, all without side-effects. I don’t think such a drug exists. But we do have the opposite!

So, sadly, I’ve come to believe that alcohol is basically the perfect anti-nootropic. That’s not because it makes you dumb while you’re drunk. (True, but who cares?) Rather, that’s because it is bad for sleep, and therefore makes you worse across all dimensions the next day.

Alcohol is good for socializing sometimes
I did find not drinking to have one clear downside: It’s just not that much fun to hang out with people who are drinking if you are not drinking yourself.

To be clear, this is a limited effect. It’s only an issue at bars or certain parties where people are there to drink. I don’t go to many such gatherings, but when I did, I felt it was less fun.

It’s not that I missed alcohol. Instead, my theory is that drinking parties are a sort of joint role-playing exercise: “Let’s all get together and collectively reduce our inhibitions and see what happens.” It’s fun not (just) because everyone is taking a recreational drug, but because it’s a joint social experience. If you don’t drink, then you aren’t fully participating.

It seems like it should be possible to reproduce this effect without alcohol. You could imagine other ways to push the social equilibrium out of balance. Like… Masks? Or weird environments? Or mutual disclosure games? Should people get together and do a group cold plunge?

Unfortunately, all these are complicated and/or carry some kind of social stigma. So until we figure something better out, this is a real cost of not drinking. It was minor for me, but it probably depends a lot on where you are in life.

Other effects
All other effects were minor. I guess I saved money at restaurants. I actually lost a bit of weight over the year, despite all the extra desserts, though I can’t say for sure if alcohol was the cause. Otherwise, once I stopped thinking of alcohol as an option, I rarely thought about the resolution at all, except when I saw those damn chocolates.

Aftermath
Towards the end of the year, I started wondering if I should quit drinking forever. But I never came to a conclusion, because I rarely thought about alcohol. I considered having a drink at midnight on New Year’s eve, but I happened to be on a plane that crossed the international date line and thus skipped New Year’s eve.

And then… for the first few months of 2026, I still didn’t drink. That wasn’t because of any decision. It just never seemed appealing because (a) sleep and (b) I’d broken the mental link between want thing and drink alcohol. Eventually, I ate the chocolates, and I had a glass of wine when visiting some friends. If I can continue rarely drinking while almost never thinking about drinking, I’ll probably do that. If I slowly slide back into always thinking of alcohol as a live option and always negotiating with myself, I might just resolve to quit forever.

So that’s my story. Obviously, it’s heavily colored by my own idiosyncrasies, so it’s hard to say if it offers any general lesson.

I do think people underrate the long-term health impact of drinking. The effect on heart disease is debated, but everyone agrees that any alcohol increases the risk of cancer. Still, the long-term effects from occasional light drinking probably aren’t huge. What’s really underrated is the short-term effects, via worse sleep.

If I had to give advice, it would be this: If you drink, and you think you might be better off not drinking, why not try it? Maybe you’ll find that champagne is essential to your happiness and drink it every night, to hell with the costs. Maybe you’ll find a different baseline, or maybe you’ll quit forever. Whatever you decide, you’ll have full information.

JOLLY BEE

Why so serious?

I'm trying fasting. No eating after dinner from 8pm until 12pm noon the next day; it's a 16 hour fast to lose weight in my belly.

SEAD & DEAD (1965)

Memorial Day

I scream

hello there

Wheeled > tracked

Lady of the Night ~ Mama Rat

Line-art ~ https://x.com/SkylinesSunset/status/1921939654934245389

Colors ~ https://x.com/color_sometimes/status/1923036684490256462

Moon the elf

Are you worthy?

>>24715
Ask me after I sleep off this seafood dinner.
*BURP*

I work in hospitality 9 to 5

The Umana Bali is a stunning limestone clifftop resort on the Southernmost tip of Bali in Ungasan, an area known for stunning ocean views, beach clubs and luxe resorts that appear as though they cling onto the edges of the cliffs like limpets on rocks. The Umana Bali is part of the Hilton Hotels portfolio and is the 16th out of 18 LXR resorts, Hilton's highest tier luxury brand known for its "one of its kind" resorts. Come along as we explore what the hotel has to offer.

Umana Bali
The last time I was in Bali was in 2019 and I realise how much I've missed it. Especially the warm weather, Balinese architecture, intricate bas reliefs and the ready smiles and banter of the Balinese people. This is my first time staying in Ungasan in the very south of the island of Bali and I'm keen to explore everything the Umana Bali has to offer.

Umana Bali
There are 18 LXR resorts in the world and LXR represents the Hilton Hotel's most luxurious tier (with one to come in Australia in August 2026 on the site of the former Palazzo Versace). Umana Bali's resort design was inspired by Uma or the ancient rice fields and their curves and terraces and comprises of 72 stunning 1, 2 or 3 bedroom villas.

Umana Bali
The resort's winding roads are dotted with these villas, spaced discreetly apart and in a cascading terrace pattern, the traditional way that rice was farmed. As we alight from the car, a gong sounds and we are gently ushered towards the arrival lounge where we are offered lemon tarts, fragrant ice cold towels and a refreshing pineapple juice.

Umana Bali
Each villa has its own dedicated "curator" who you can contact for anything that you need. Our curator Gabriella tucks a frangipane behind our ears and then offers us a Tridatu bracelet, a sacred Balinese Hindu accessory. The three colour bracelet symbolises birth, life and death and protects against negative energy.

Umana Bali
The Villas
Umana Bali
For those with FOMO who constantly wonder if they have the best room, I've got great news. All of the accommodation at Umana Bali is made up of beautiful villas and they only differ based on the number of bedrooms. And even better, the villas are among the largest in Bali.

Umana Bali
Our one bedroom villa measures an astounding 403 square meters or roughly 4,300 square feet. The outdoor section is what draws the eye with its ocean front vista and 10 metre infinity pool with fountain. Tucked into one corner is the jacuzzi alongside a balé or bale bengong. This traditional Balinese open-sided pavilion or gazebo has a relaxing day bed and there are also sun beds placed in the direct sunshine too.

Umana Bali
You can access the indoor part of the villa through two sets on doors with one straight up from the pool for the ultimate entrance. The sitting room and kitchenette area is expansive and stocked with a well curated mini bar, a cut above most with local, boutique brands of chocolate, snacks and Balinese botanical drinks. A wine fridge keeps the wine chilled and there is also a coffee machine and tea replenished as frequently as you need. There is a large television here and a modular lounge to relax on.

Umana Bali
Walking through the villa, the rooms unfold - there's a separate powder room for guests and an enormous marble bathroom. This may be one of the largest bathrooms I've ever had in a hotel and the centrepiece is a huge soaking bathtub. There are also double sinks with detailed amenities tucked away in a drawer box. On one side is a spacious shower that looks out to an outdoor shower that you can use after the pool. A Japanese bidet toilet is separate. There is also plenty of space to hang clothes and a yoga mat, safe, soft robes and slippers are provided.

Umana Bali
Next to the bathroom is the bedroom with a king sized bed, large television and charging ports by the bed. The bed is very comfortable and looks out into the pool. Gabriella warns us to lock the doors as there is a monkey that likes to call in and visit. That monkey will have to battle Mr NQN who falls upon the fruit bowl with great enthusiasm. Turn down each evening draws the curtains shut and slippers and water are placed by the bed. The room also has plenty of international plugs, a phone charging pad and plenty of bottles of water for drinking and brushing teeth.

Umana Bali
Personal touches are the personalised fresh coconut juices and on my birthday, a rich chocolate cake with candle is delivered and Happy Birthday is spelled out in flowers and leaves. The most thoughtful personal touch is the welcome card with a picture of Mochi. One noticeable thing is that all of the staff that we encountered from the Uma Beach Club to Commune to check in are genuinely friendly and welcoming.

Umana Bali
The Restaurants
Oliverra
Umana Bali
The Umana Bali has 5 dining and drinking options. Oliverra is an upmarket restaurant that focuses on Mediterranean cuisine and is only a few minutes walk from our villa although staff also encourage us to call golf buggies whenever we need them.

Umana Bali
The multi level building has an outdoor area, a sunset bar upstairs and the restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating. It's a perfect, lightly breezy evening so we take a seat outside watching the sunset deepen to an ochre glow.

Umana Bali
There are two set menus and an a la carte menu. The set menu starts with two amuse bouches from the chef (a mini beef empanada and a tuna filled corn bite) that looks like a tiny green tomato.

Umana Bali
The Carbonara del Mare isn't pasta, it features hand dived French scallops on a potato cake with a Pecorino Romano Espuma foam and a carbonara sauce.

Umana Bali
Charcoal grilled stockyard strip loin
The charcoal grilled stockyard strip line is a perfectly cooked fillet of beef with slow baked wild mushroom ragu, hasselback topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke), roasted shallot and red wine juice served at the table. It's fantastic when you get a little bit of everything on your fork.

Umana Bali
Lobster Fideua 550,000IDR
But my favourite dish is the Lobster Fideua from the a la carte menu. Fideua is an Andalusian Spanish dish that means "lots of noodles" and is a Spanish "paella" made out of pasta noodles or in this case vermicelli noodles. I haven't often seen this on a menu but it is exactly the dish that we want to have on holidays given the seaside setting. The noodles are paired with perfectly cooked bamboo lobster and lemon aioli on top of the split lobster. The noodles have a lovely crispy edge to it and a rich tomato flavour while the split bamboo lobster is well cooked so that it is still luscious and tender. We scrape the plate for every last piece of noodle.

Umana Bali
Coconut Meringue
The coconut meringue has the fine texture or desiccated coconut in a crisp meringue combined with a Arabica coffee jelly Amaretto essence and mascarpone for a refreshing yet creamy dessert to end the meal, followed by salted caramel petit fours.

Umana Bali
Commune Restaurant
Umana Bali
The all day Commune restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is located right by the main pool. Breakfast is served from 6am-10:30am and comprises of a split buffet and a la carte selection. The staff are super friendly and helpful and help bring plates to our table.

Umana Bali
The pastries are delicious and there are local items to try like a cendol cup, cinnamon donuts, Indonesian desserts and a range of egg dishes and soup noodles available freshly made.

>>24823
Umana Bali
The banana pancakes are excellent as is a local specialty rice porridge. Moreng is an Ungasan style rice porridge with boiled eggs, moringa leaves, shredded chicken and turmeric that is so comforting and divine. We also order a tropical fruit plate.

Umana Bali
Commune is also open for lunch and the menu comprises local Indonesian dishes as well as Western classics, salads and pastas and meat. If you're famished (perhaps from an early flight or waiting for your villa to be ready), the Rijsttafel is an Indonesian Dutch banquet that translates to "rice table" and is made up of numerous dishes from salads to meats and seafood. All meals here start with the signature cracker basket with a range of different crackers and half a dozen dips, sauces and pickles - the kecap manis with satay sauce is a standout.

Umana Bali
The staff then bring out an enormous platter of food laden with everything from sate lilit, beef rendang, egg curry, Balinese chicken, green bean salad, prawns in coconut sauce, grilled fish and boiled eggs with Balinese bumbu genep as well as a selection of white, brown and purple rice to go with the dishes. There is also Gerang Asem,a meatball and prawn clear soup. Everything is delicious, especially the sate lilit and beef rendang.

Umana Bali
This is followed with a platter of fresh tropical fruit, glutinous rice balls made with purple potatoes and filled with palm sugar syrup with jackfruit and a sweetened coconut soup. There is also a plate of Pisang Goreng or deep fried bananas. These are crunchy on the outside and the bananas are perfectly ripe and sweet on the inside and all you need to do is dip these crunchy morsels in the palm sugar syrup.

Uma Beach House
Umana Bali
Uma Beach House is one of the most popular places to visit in Ungasan for its oceanfront views, infinity pool, fusion cuisine and relaxed luxury vibe. Uma Beach Club sits on Melasti beach located below the Umana Hotel and a cute little mini bus regularly shuttles guests down to the Beach Club. Melasti means the day before silent day or Nyepi, an important day in Balinese culture usually celebrated in March where the entire island shuts down for 24 hours.

Umana Bali
Melasti Beach is a very popular white sand beach that is often blessed with spectacular sunsets and just before sunset is the most popular time here. It is also a destination for people staying in nearby Uluwatu and Padang Padang. Uma Beach Club is decked out in warm terracotta and blush pink tones with stone floors and timber beams. I'm here for my birthday dinner and it is the perfect location.

Umana Bali
This place has a vibe but isn't overwhelming busy or heaving. Salmon pink booths hug curves and look out to the beach. There are plenty of sun lounges or guests can go straight to a table to order food. For Umana Bali hotel guests the entrance is waived to the Beach Club sun loungers but for non hotel guests there is a fee for these. And usually there is an entrance fee to enter Melasti Beach but this is waived for Umana guests. Sun beds are IDR 750,000/$60AUD/$42USD while cabanas are IDR 2,700,000/$213AUD/$153USD but this spend is 100% applicable towards food and beverage.

Umana Bali
Lemongrass Blossom 180,000++ Coral by the Bay 175,000++
Start with cocktails like the Coral by the Bay or the Lemongrass Blossom which are both excellent refreshers that are well balanced and not overly sweet. The Lemongrass Blossom is made with Gin, lemongrass, jasmine, peach, ginger and citrus while the Coral by the Bay has citrus Vodka, apricot brandy, salak and spice liqueur, tamarillo, spiced syrup, citrus & soda.

Umana Bali
UMA Seafood Platter 560,000++
The menu here at Uma Beach House is Nikkei cuisine or Japanese-Peruvian cuisine, so there's everything from anticuchos to ceviche and suspiros for dessert. The seafood platter immediately caught my eye and at 560,000 (or around $44UD or $32USD) it is a very reasonable price. The raw seafood platter has sashimi salmon, tuna and sea bream with large prawns, fresh Japanese oysters and a poached baby lobster. It comes with sauces on the side like sour cream, soy sauce, and a tomato salsa. It's sizeable so we share this and another main and salad.

Umana Bali
Japanese Romaine 130,000++
I also love the Japanese-style Caesar salad with baby romaine lettuce, katsuobushi, tender poached chicken and finely diced bacon dressed with a fantastic wasabi anchovy Caesar dressing.

Umana Bali
Sushi & Sashimi 300,000++
The sushi and sashimi is also popular with tuna maki, large nigiri, three large nigiri and two vegetarian maki rolls. It is said to have California rolls but these weren't on our platter and there wasn't actual sashimi on the platter.

Umana Bali
There is also a surprise for me as they bring over a birthday cake and the lovely staff sing Happy Birthday to me and bring a gorgeously rich chocolate cake decorated with meringue swirls and fresh fruit.

Extraordinary Experiences
Umana Bali
Breakfast is normally at Commune restaurant but the floating breakfast in your villa is a must do at least once during your stay. The friendly staff lay out a wicker floating tray with your pre-booked breakfast options (Continental, Indonesian or Western) plus a choice of drink and juice.

Umana Bali
We tried the Indonesian breakfast with a delicious Nasi Campur that came with Indonesian sweets and paired with fresh fruit, juice and coffee. The Western breakfast is also excellent with a choice of eggs (we recommend the Umana scrambled eggs that have caviar, prawn and truffle) and a mixed pastry basket. The floating breakfast is IDR 550,000/$43AUD/$31USD per person

Umana Bali
The Lohma spa is a gorgeous, serene space where talented therapists use traditional and modern techniques with a range of facials, massages as well as treatments like holotropic breathing, cold water immersion and sound healing along with private yoga classes.

Umana Bali
For our 60 minute couples massage were led to an expansive couples room with a garden view outside and large soaking tub, shower and change room. Our spa therapists explain what they will be doing and check our comfort levels before giving us a deeply relaxing massage with tropical scented massage oil. I have to will myself to stay awake to enjoy the head and face massage administered expertly by my spa therapist.

Umana Bali
The Village Walk is not to be missed. Guests get a glimpse into the life of people living in Ungasan village by an Umana tour guide. A more detailed post about this is coming up!

So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever stayed at an LXR Hotel? Have you ever visited the Southern area of Bali?

Umana Bali
NQN and Mr NQN were guests of Umana Bali but all opinions remain her own.
Umana Bali
Jl. Melasti, Ungasan, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80364, Indonesia

Phone: +62 361 3007000

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/dpsolol-umana-bali-resort/

Oh nom nom. Dip it in! Get it saucier than ever.