Not sure where to stay tonight. I have work tomorrow.

I don't feel safe in that house because he's become so extremely hateful.

Going to log it in my time log anyway.

I probably won't be able to get in when I'm back because he's started bolting the front door recently.

Well now I have proof that has has been smashing and disposing of our belongings. So many cups and plates have been going missing for months.

I'm not in the house anymore.

Started smashing things now

I was watching TV minding my own business and my dad things it's appropriate to correct me on someone when I call s trans woman she he keeps correcting me to say "he" and then tells me to go and fuck off.

Okay man.

If I start going by his miserable views I wouldn't care for myself and I wouldn't keep my job either. We care for many patients who happen to be trans.

My dad is very angry because I called him out on his transphobia.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 6: What goes on inside a lock?

A (typical pin tumbler) lock consists of a pretty simple mechanism. Pairs of pins—the driver and key pins—are pushed by a spring, such that the driver pins block the core of the lock from rotating. When a key is inserted, it raises the pin-stacks so that the driver pin is above the shear line between the core and the lock housing, and they key pin is below it. Key pins are different lengths to compliment the bitting of the key, so that they all end up being the same height when resting on the cuts in the key.

In picking a lock, we simulate the key by manipulating the pins manually.

Locks are only pickable because manufacturing is imperfect. *Ideally* the pin chambers would be perfectly identical and in a perfectly straight line. *Ideally* the pins would be perfectly smooth and identical in all but length. But that's never the case. And we can use that fact to our advantage.

When we apply rotational force to the core of the lock with our turning tool, it causes the pin-stacks to pinch between the core and the housing. The pin closest to the direction we're turning will get pinched the hardest. That's the one we're looking for. When we lift that pin with our pick, it scrapes against the pin chamber until it reaches the shear line. Once it's set correctly, the next closest pin will bind, and so on. It's the same pinching that causes the set pins to stay in place—they rest on the lip of the core's chamber. Once all the pins are set, nothing is blocking the core from turning, and *click* the lock opens.

When you lift a pin too high, you "overset" it, which means the key pin is now the thing being pinched, rather than the driver pin. This'll result in a mushy, dead feeling in the pin. It'll go up, but won't spring or fall back down. It also means other pins won't bind, so everything just feels kind of lifeless in the core (like we do under capitalism).

If you *ease* off the tension, then eventually a pin will drop back down. With any luck, it's the overset one. Reapply tension and poke around to see if a pin is binding nicely If not, ease off tension again until another pin drops. This is how you recover from a misstep while picking. If you have to do this more than once or twice, consider dropping all the pins and starting over—because you've probably lost your mental image of the lock's state and it'll be better to start clean.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice bonus lesson: Sometimes your stomach-wookie sings the song of its people while you're trying to film a 5-second clip of you opening a vintage Louis Vuitton padlock off of a $1000 purse, so you snort-laugh and have to redo the whole thing.

For real, I tried to film this clip like half a dozen times. First is was a motorcycle speeding by, then a plane, then my girlfriend scooting her chair, then auto-focus issues, then a stomach-wookie, then finally a clean take.

I made pizza after this shot.

And yes, this lock—that was presumably hundreds of dollars new—opens with just a turning tool...no picks needed 🤣

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 4: learning locks.

I often see new lockpickers diving into a lock cold, then getting discouraged when a lock won't pop for them. Or, they manage to get lucky once in a while, but it feels like lightning—exciting, but random and uncontrollable.

So today I'm going to talk about getting to know your lock—I'm going to talk about foreplay. (y'all went there first, I'm just leaning into it 😋)

When you get consent to touch a new lock, your first date should be about feeling it out. What brand and model is it? Are you familiar with their quirks? Have you been around the lock a few times with this type before, or is this uncharted territory? Is the lock in good shape? Is it clean and oiled, rusty and gritty? Does it feel classy and expensive or is it cheap and sloppy? Is it crisp and new, or has it seen some action?

Alright, first base time. Grab a tool (something relatively straight, like the back of a half-diamond or a probe) and slide it in. Get all up in those pins and then slowly pull out. How many pins did you count? How did each one feel as it dropped down? How deep was the keyway? Where were the pins located and how were they spaced? Were they narrow little pins like American locks use, or thicker, harder pins like an ABUS? Do this a few times and picture the inside of the lock as you do.

Second base. Find a turning tool with a nice fit and slip it in. Rest your finger on the edge of the tool and press a little. How much tension is required to move the core? Is it sloppy, smooth, gritty? How far does it turn before the first pins bind? How much spring is there to it? Is your turning tool slipping around, or do you feel like you're in control of the core? Get a feel for how much force is needed to counter the springiness—hint, it's less than you probably think.

Third base. Slide your favorite pick all the way back into the keyway, then apply a little pressure to the turning tool. How much room do you have with both tools in there? Is it too tight? Work your way from the back to the front, feeling each pin with the tip of your pick. Which pin is binding? How much force do you need to move it? What does it feel like when it moves? How about when it sets into place? Did the core rotate a little? Can you feel it? Okay, now keep pushing. Feel that pin overset. What does that feel like? Did the core counter-rotate? Try releasing tension and trying a few more times. Springy, binding, pushing, set, overset, release. Now set that pin correctly and move to the next one that binds.

Good job. Now you're ready to go all the way. Keep knocking those pins up. Try to remember the binding order and the state of each pin as you go. If you lose track of the steps and state, reset the lock and start over. Repeat until you know exactly what you're doing and *why* at each step. Don't fumble for an open right away. Be methodical.

With practice, you'll be able to grab a new lock and size it up in a few seconds. And when it pops, you'll know it was because you're a fucking badass, not just someone who got lucky :gay_alice_shades:

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 3: Reproducibility.

The key to opening locks easily, quickly, and consistently is...consistency.

Limit your variables.
Know your tools.
Know your lock.
Focus on your technique.

When I did speed-picking, I only used two tools. A short hook and a medium-sized turning tool. But I knew those tools inside and out.

When I went to meetups and conferences, folx would show up with *huge* kits full of dozens of picks. I could often have a lock open before they could select a tool. Not to mention, their picking practice was spread out over a dozen pick profiles and gimmicks. Instead of focusing on their technique when they hit a wall, they'd reach for a different tool in the hopes that it would make things easier.

When you open a lock successfully, ask yourself "how clean was that open?", "can I do it better?", "did every movent count?"

Every movent should do one of three things:
1. Give you more information about the lock.
2. Set one or more pins.
3. Recover from a misstep.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice, lesson 1: Get yourself a decent starter set.

You'll want some good turning tools. My favorites are the red/white/blue set from Red Team Tools for a few reasons: they're a good range of thicknesses, they're color-coded, they're smooth, and the short ends are slimmed down for top of the keyway tensioning or for smaller locks. Turning tools are the most important part of your kit.

You'll want a couple good hooks. I recommend a thin-shank short hook, and a sturdy short/medium hook. The thin one will be your friend in tight keyways and for small locks. The sturdy one will let you bully most other locks.

Finally, you'll want a couple wave rakes. My favorites are the triple-peak w-shape and m-shape (in that order). They're easy to work with, don't get hung up on the keyway, and can be maneuvered to more precisely hit specific pins.

Oh, and you'll need some locks to practice on. Clear locks are great *for your first day*, but you'll run into trouble if you start to rely on seeing the pins. Grab some cheap Master No.3, Master No.140, and/or Brinks padlocks. They're satisfying to open, and they'll teach you the basics. Beware dollar store locks—the manufacturing is usually shit and some have plastic cores, which feel like garbage to pick, and break easily.

Everything else is icing on the cake.

Most starter sets will include a "city rake" or "L rake", and several other mostly useless picks. Ignore them. They're filler and you'll spend days just trying to find a valid reason to carry them—because they *have* to be good for *something*, right? ...right?

Here's the kit I currently recommend: https://www.redteamtools.com/essential-lock-pick-set/ (with the book https://www.redteamtools.com/practical-lock-picking-a-physical-penetration-testers-training-guide-by-deviant-ollam-signed) It's ~$60, solid, no fluff, and well made. I love the book, the turning tools are part of my everyday carry, and I use the picks whenever I teach lockpicking in person.

Disclaimer: @deviantollam (Red Team Tools' founder) is a friend of mine, but I don't recommend anything that I don't personally use.

BREAKING: UK government confirms kissing now illegal. Click here for more.

I'm enjoying the current market crashes lmao. I love the chaos of the days bros freaking out. I know it's gonna end in another wave of redundancies. It's that time of year again.

Disco balls.

The anxiety of going to shows alone heh.

The boardgame cafe is running some TTRPG sessions which is cool. :cyberheart_cyan:

I got tired and went to bed early, through the explosions and all. I think I need to rewatch later because I did enjoy it.

Just very very tired. I worry I am coming down with something, my nose was very snotty this morning.

I am supposed to be going to a concert but now idk...

Also was gonna go buy some more jewellery for my septum piercing and grab some bratwurst from the Christmas markets opening today but idk...

To celebrate Guy Fawkes Night I'm watching "Gunpowder" with Kit Harrington in it. Idk how I didn't come across this sooner.