Aran's recent activity
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Comment on The 2024 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs December 19 - January 2) in ~games
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Comment on What possession(s) do you have that continue to delight you every time? in ~talk
Aran LinkI'm not the first to mention a mechanical keyboard but I wanted to talk about my very specific mechanical keyboard! Heck, I was honestly thinking about this thread title when I disassembled it...I'm not the first to mention a mechanical keyboard but I wanted to talk about my very specific mechanical keyboard! Heck, I was honestly thinking about this thread title when I disassembled it over the weekend for a quick clean (which then inspired me to go seek out the designer on Discord to send a message telling him that this thing has been a beautifully designed truck of a board...)
This got long so I'm stuffing it in this details tag
This is a 40-45%-ish dubbed the V4N4G0N, also affectionately referred to as the Gamervan - "van" being a reference to the designer's Minivan design that serves as the base for this, and "Gamer" referring to the 1-6 numrow available that you wouldn't find on a 40% board. I don't need to proselytize 40%s and hopefully I don't have to explain why I just cannot do even a 60% ("because I wanna!" should be as good a reason, but I can come up with more convincing ones). I had already been using solely 40%s for work for a year or two at this point, but the overwhelming majority of PC games assume the existence of a numrow and using layers to access numbers in a gaming environment is not a fun time. So "40% but with numbers for your stupid League games" sounded great.
I purchased this in Jan 2020, assembled it Feb 2020, and it has been my sole PC keyboard for the last... almost 5 years now. It weighs just shy of 3 lbs; the brass midlayer adds a good amount of heft to it and the board absolutely will not budge from regular keypresses alone. You can see the spots where my gross hands have somehow managed to eat through the anodization. It has survived no less than 5 direct liquid spills, some of which were sugary alcoholic drinks (I have since invested in a cup holder). I've replaced maybe three switches - two because they weren't registering keypresses anymore (gunk in the switch? idk, I have plenty of replacements) and one recently just because it sounded scratchy. In the worst case scenario where the PCB is not repairable for someone who has a soldering iron but absolutely no experience with diagnosing electronic parts, I did purchase an additional PCB in the original group buy.
You know how wear and tear can be pretty visible with hardware? I feel very, very little of it with this thing after five years of extreme use. I work from home and let's just say, someeeetimes I'm not exactly working... like right now, typing a love letter to my keyboard, using my keyboard. I'm pretty sure that some of the switches for the alphas, at this point, are at the level of worn-down smoothness that is oft-praised with switches from well-used-but-somehow-clean vintage keyboards, minus some outliers like the keys I replaced. I hate the issues that plague all my game controllers, whether it's stick drift or just deteriorating rubber on thumb sticks; I hate that I need to replace my mouse every few years because I just haven't found one that can live forever. But this keyboard just has no functional faults despite being figuratively beat to shit for five years.
My devotion to this keyboard might be tested soon; after I reached out to the designer, he informed me that he's actually had a fourth revision of this board (mine was of the very first revision) in the works with some not-necessary-but-nice-to-have internal design changes. I really don't need it because I think my current keyboard will live forever, unless I really wanted to try Hall Effect switches (new revision will support both MX and HE). But I want to support the designer and yada yada.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Aran LinkI am halfway through The Hobbit. I actually did read it back in elementary school and didn't really enjoy it, and my family weren't crazy about the LOTR movies so I never watched (or read) the...I am halfway through The Hobbit. I actually did read it back in elementary school and didn't really enjoy it, and my family weren't crazy about the LOTR movies so I never watched (or read) the trilogy either. But I have avoided it for long enough!
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Comment on What’s something that you weren’t supposed to see/hear, but did? in ~talk
Aran Link ParentYou and Banazir have absolutely made my day. I even see there appear to be classes available in the city I'm relocating to next year... if that pans out I'll be sure to report back!You and Banazir have absolutely made my day. I even see there appear to be classes available in the city I'm relocating to next year... if that pans out I'll be sure to report back!
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Comment on What’s something that you weren’t supposed to see/hear, but did? in ~talk
Aran Link ParentThis thread has unlocked some buried memories from my high school years... I remember having to come up with "careers" I was interested in and, while most were BS pulled from Google for the sake...This thread has unlocked some buried memories from my high school years... I remember having to come up with "careers" I was interested in and, while most were BS pulled from Google for the sake of the assignment, I remember thinking I was genuinely interested in blacksmithing. The problem is that I am 4'10" and 90 lbs... how much of the physical aspect, do you think, should play into whether I look into learning this down the road?
(I realize that probably nothing is stopping me from trying, especially if there are classes available, but I have plenty of other less-physically-intensive hobbies that I COULD get into if #1 is too difficult, y'know?)
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Comment on Valve is possibly making a Steam Controller 2 and a ‘Roy’ for its Deckard in ~games
Aran Link ParentWow, I gave my Steam controller away (paid something like $15 on sale) to someone I had a very, very bad falling out with. Unfortunate... I really wanted to like the controller! Unfortunately I...Wow, I gave my Steam controller away (paid something like $15 on sale) to someone I had a very, very bad falling out with. Unfortunate...
I really wanted to like the controller! Unfortunately I just can't look forward to most "handheld" releases that aren't Nintendo - my hands are extremely small (I've had ten year olds with bigger hands than me) and even the modern PS5 controller is really pushing my level of comfort. I realize it's because the western gaming market consists of bigger hands on average... but it would be nice to get something that fits.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Aran Link ParentI am actually in CA but never knew this was a place you could visit! I'm even relocating to norcal in a few months so I'll add it to my list :)I am actually in CA but never knew this was a place you could visit! I'm even relocating to norcal in a few months so I'll add it to my list :)
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Aran LinkThis'll be a strange one, I think. So my original copy of White Fang from when I was in elementary school in 2005 has been tattered and beaten. I've always been the type to re-consume things I...This'll be a strange one, I think. So my original copy of White Fang from when I was in elementary school in 2005 has been tattered and beaten. I've always been the type to re-consume things I really enjoy - shows, movies, books - and yeah, this book about dogs fighting dogs and cruelty and redemption, for some reason, has stayed with me since I was a kid. I decided it was time to retire my tattered copy (as in, place it somewhere safe instead of letting it disintegrate with every reread...) and buy another. Which means I have to read it again.
I'm a little sad to admit that I do not treat my books well, particularly if I enjoy them...
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Comment on American election mental health thread in ~health.mental
Aran LinkI feel bad because my thinking right now is probably not palatable with a lot of folks on here. I mostly lurk, especially when it comes to politics, but I know most regulars here are bigger people...I feel bad because my thinking right now is probably not palatable with a lot of folks on here. I mostly lurk, especially when it comes to politics, but I know most regulars here are bigger people than I. When sentiments lean... aggressive, there's always someone here to remind us that such sentiments do not help anyone. I'm trying not to think these things because I know people I respect greatly - internet strangers here, my partner, my friends - don't accept stooping to the same level of hate for the "other".
But I don't know, man. I feel like a fool for having empathy in general and I feel like the only way to retain some form of agency is to stop caring, particularly about people who most certainly do not care about me (and even wish me actual harm depending on where their views lie regarding sexuality and childbearing as a "duty"). That's not even a real coping mechanism though, because I'm the one with the good grace to have been born and raised in a liberal city in CA - barring some truly worst case scenarios, a lot of things just won't affect my day to day the same way it will for those living in different areas who rightfully are fearing for their safety and freedom to exist. And complacency and apathy are exactly what allow fascism to thrive. I realize that.
Idk, I'm just trying not to let the very antisocial, people-hating part of me run the show too much.
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Comment on Timasomo 2024: Week 3 Updates in ~creative.timasomo
Aran LinkI came down with the flu or covid at the start of October and was out of commission for two straight weeks... :) I haven't touched my polymer clay since September. Hopefully I can pick things back...I came down with the flu or covid at the start of October and was out of commission for two straight weeks... :) I haven't touched my polymer clay since September.
Hopefully I can pick things back up soon even without an external event like timasomo to bug me to get things done!
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Comment on What vegetable are you? in ~food
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Comment on Announcing Tildes' Make Something Month (Timasomo) for 2024! in ~tildes
Aran LinkGuys, this was the last Tildes thread I read before bed last night and I proceeded to have a bizarre dream involving creating a horror game. I have no experience making games whatsoever. Which...Guys, this was the last Tildes thread I read before bed last night and I proceeded to have a bizarre dream involving creating a horror game. I have no experience making games whatsoever.
Which means I'll stew on it and realistically settle for making something more ambitious with polymer clay. I've only ever made small pieces and usually don't even get as far as painting them. Any time I try to get more ambitious with the sculpting itself I end up disappointed and toss the pieces into a box...
some stuff I've done in the last year, bonus for any who recognize these critters from FFXIV. The last one was painted on with resin by my gf to be sent to a mutual friend of ours.
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Comment on Moments of Pride in ~lgbt
Aran LinkI feel a lot more... secure? in identifying as demisexual, more so than I was when I last posted about my experience with asexuality on Tildes a few months ago. I do feel a little weird about the...I feel a lot more... secure? in identifying as demisexual, more so than I was when I last posted about my experience with asexuality on Tildes a few months ago. I do feel a little weird about the whole thing because going from being firmly touch and sex-averse for a decade, to a few weeks of embarrasingly high libido, comes with a lot of baggage unpacking. I know, I know, there's nothing wrong with adjusting labels as needed and sexuality isn't so rigid that these things don't change over time. But it's difficult not being reminded of the tired old "you just haven't met the right person yet" saying, because in my case I suppose it ended up correct?
Anyways, that's all well and good, but what was really elating was talking to my girlfriend about it and learning that after some of our experiences she also identified pretty strongly with the label. That was another big fear of mine (fueled by way too many internet stories about relationship issues re: incompatible sex drive). We both started this relationship without having clear ideas on where either of our sexualities really lay; we just knew we liked each other romantically and we weren't interested in sex. I'm still not convinced I "need" it and maybe things will change in the far future but for now I'm really, really content.
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Comment on What is the most profound impact a dream has had on you? in ~talk
Aran LinkHad a coworker pass away from COVID complications at the start of 2021. Sometime later that year after vaccines were made available, we had to go into the office at least once a week (small team,...Had a coworker pass away from COVID complications at the start of 2021. Sometime later that year after vaccines were made available, we had to go into the office at least once a week (small team, everyone had the entire office to themselves on their chosen day).
On one morning of a day I would be going in, I had a dream where I was talking to the office gang like it was pre-pandemic days, including the coworker who had passed. Except in the dream I and the other folks "knew" that it wasn't really her; it was a doppelganger who was brought on to take her name and face so that we wouldn't feel sad about her being gone. We'd try to coax this doppelganger to drop the act because we didn't need them to pretend to be our old coworker and we accepted that she was gone.
Woke from that dream and while driving to the office, felt for some inexplicable reason that I couldn't go in that day. I didn't have any meetings scheduled so I just took the day off without telling anyone.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Survival Weekly Thread in ~games
Aran Link ParentOh, I think that's where my sheep are :D If it's the sheep pen with like, a path heading down the cliff to the river. Think there's a wild fox still trapped in that sheep pen...Oh, I think that's where my sheep are :D If it's the sheep pen with like, a path heading down the cliff to the river. Think there's a wild fox still trapped in that sheep pen...
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Aran Link ParentNot sure why I have to install more, but the launcher indicates an online server status... so I'm assuming it's the former!? -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Aran Link ParentWhat an interesting coincidence - I don't remember what string of boredom Googling led me to it, but I reinstalled the original TSW the other day. I don't exactly know what the difference between...What an interesting coincidence - I don't remember what string of boredom Googling led me to it, but I reinstalled the original TSW the other day. I don't exactly know what the difference between the original and the reboot is when it comes to the questing and worldbuilding, which are the qualities that drew me to purchasing the game back in 2013. But some quick Reddit searches advised me to dig up my old account and install the original game.
I remember an Extra Credits episode that details one of the more convoluted quests in the game and I really, really wanted to play the game again after that! But even if both the original TSW and the reboot are apparently easily soloable, something about that MMO build makes it super daunting to even sit down to find some time to get into.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft server usernames in ~games
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Comment on Danish insect farm sets sights on feeding Europe's livestock – Enorm intends to produce more than 10,000 tonnes of insect meal and oil a year in ~enviro
Aran Link ParentI love that the article you linked on the giant isopod is very specifically one warning consumers from eating giant isopods :) I've never thought about size coming into play... I grew up eating...I love that the article you linked on the giant isopod is very specifically one warning consumers from eating giant isopods :)
I've never thought about size coming into play... I grew up eating beondegi (silkworm pupa) and still eat it regularly today. I don't know any other Korean American my age who isn't disgusted by these, lol. I think it was a combination of eating them as a child as well as The Lion King's bug eating scenes that helped me firmly categorize these as food first.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Survival - Countdown and launch day in ~games
Aran LinkI'm conflicted! I already knew my time was spoken for (new FF14 expansion, new raid tier in two weeks, prep to do) and I originally was going to get a weekend's worth of Minecraft itch out of the...I'm conflicted! I already knew my time was spoken for (new FF14 expansion, new raid tier in two weeks, prep to do) and I originally was going to get a weekend's worth of Minecraft itch out of the way, but seeing some of the projects and map screenshots shared here are really making me want to go exploring and find a nice scenic place to plop a humble home down in...
The House in Fata Morgana took me a while to get into - as in, I read two hours and was falling asleep and didn't pick it up again for months. Once I got to the second "story" I was hooked, though. I think it was very well worth it. It isn't romance-free (personally I'm outright allergic to most romance anythings) but it was... well, it was heavy.
Absolutely recommend.
edit: on second thought, romance might be a big enough part of this one that it may not fit requirements