EsteeBestee's recent activity
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
EsteeBestee Link ParentGood luck on the job search. I was hoping tech would rebound after all the layoffs and cuts over the last few years, but afaik it’s still a bit rough out there :( Have fun on your walk!Good luck on the job search. I was hoping tech would rebound after all the layoffs and cuts over the last few years, but afaik it’s still a bit rough out there :(
Have fun on your walk!
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
EsteeBestee Link ParentWell, no matter which plans you decide on, I hope you have a pleasant weekend! You’re reminding me that I need to dip my toes into photography a bit more than I’ve been doing lately. I got a new...Well, no matter which plans you decide on, I hope you have a pleasant weekend! You’re reminding me that I need to dip my toes into photography a bit more than I’ve been doing lately. I got a new camera last year and while I’ve had a few outings, I haven’t been the shutterbug that I was leading up to buying that, so maybe I’ll have to look out for photography events in my area, as well!
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
EsteeBestee LinkWell… I close on my house in 3.5 hours!!! I’ve been dreaming of home ownership for 10 years and I never thought I’d get here! I was extremely fortunate to fall into an excellent job that allowed...Well… I close on my house in 3.5 hours!!! I’ve been dreaming of home ownership for 10 years and I never thought I’d get here! I was extremely fortunate to fall into an excellent job that allowed me to climb up and I’m finally in a place where I can own a home. The house is functional, updated, cute, has an excellent garage (I’m an auto mechanic in my spare time), and is in a great neighborhood. It really ended up being perfect after I had two other offers rejected.
So yeah, I’ll be spending all this weekend moving. I elected to end my rental lease on August 31 so that I don’t pay any housing in September (first loan payment on the house is Oct). So I’m spending today moving over my valuables, electronics, essentials, bed, and the cats, and then movers are getting the rest tomorrow. It will take me a while to unpack and organize, of course, but the space should be livable tonight or tomorrow. I took next week off from work so that I can take my time settling in and getting used to home ownership.
So I’m sure I’ll be pretty exhausted come Monday, but this might be the best weekend of my life. I’m still trying to not count my chickens since I technically haven’t closed yet even though it’s today and I’ve already signed everything and paid down payment + closing. I’m just paranoid I did something wrong or something because it’s so unbelievable that I’m going to own a home. I think part of it is how hard everyone says it is, but the process ended up being pretty easy to me at least.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee Link ParentAh, I missed that you’re on PlayStation. Most ultra realistic sims will be PC only, but there are a number of games on PlayStation that are pretty good and at least scratch the same itch. Gran...Ah, I missed that you’re on PlayStation. Most ultra realistic sims will be PC only, but there are a number of games on PlayStation that are pretty good and at least scratch the same itch.
Gran Turismo 7, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and EA WRC are probably the three games with the “most” sim like experience on PlayStation in terms of on track driving. Games like F1 and the older Dirt games are great experiences though less “sim”, but still very fun. The F1 games do an excellent job of creating the weekend atmosphere of a Grand Prix and that’s completely unmatched, I just mean the on-track driving model isn’t quite a simulation, but that’s totally fine and to be expected since the game is supposed to appeal to millions of people. You can still absolutely turn off assists and get a difficult and somewhat realistic experience, too. Then of course you have a bunch of arcade racers like Forza Horizon, The Crew, etc. Those are all fun to play, they just aren’t in any shape a simulation.
So yeah, even though some full sims like iRacing and rFactor are PC only, you still have some great options on PlayStation, too. The world of racing is very wide and even though I’m mostly sequestered to iRacing since my goal is to be as close to real racing as possible, there are so many excellent games out there, so I’m just happy to see you having fun with it!
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee Link ParentFor racing games, I almost exclusively play iRacing these days. I love realistic races, so that's typically what I stick with. Every once in a while, I do boot up F1, Assetto Corsa, etc. and I...For racing games, I almost exclusively play iRacing these days. I love realistic races, so that's typically what I stick with. Every once in a while, I do boot up F1, Assetto Corsa, etc. and I also enjoy arcade racers like Tokyo Xtreme Racer, Forza Horizon, etc., but iRacing is my main love.
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Comment on Gamescom 2025 megathread in ~games
EsteeBestee Link ParentEvery time I quit WoW, the next cinematic always gets me ready to go to war. Why are they so good?!?!Every time I quit WoW, the next cinematic always gets me ready to go to war. Why are they so good?!?!
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee LinkOkay, I'm making a second comment because I played a game and I need to talk about it. Sword of the Sea came out today, the new game by the creators of The Pathless (one of my favorite games) and...Okay, I'm making a second comment because I played a game and I need to talk about it. Sword of the Sea came out today, the new game by the creators of The Pathless (one of my favorite games) and Abzu (still need to play). Sword of the Sea was short, but beautiful. The visuals and audio were just perfect and the narrative was emotional and had some interesting lore to back it up if you went looking for it. The game had me crying at its beauty within minutes of starting and it just kept getting better and better until the spectacular third act and finale. I don't want to say anything specific because I feel this game should be played blind to get the best experience out of it, but the last hour or so is going to stick with me for a long time.
The gameplay is relatively simple on paper, but the momentum you can build feels excellent and the game encourages you to use your abilities to explore. There are even a few areas where you have to be pretty cheeky with your ability usage to get to them, so you get a good sense of discovery with your tool kit over the course of the game.
I beat my first playthrough in just over three hours, but the game very much encourages multiple playthroughs (there is NG+) and you'll need those to find all the secrets and trophies, which I will be doing. I very much appreciate shorter, but more emotional games these days. As much as I also like 50 hour RPGs, I love games that I can pick up for a night and receive a profound emotional experience.
Despite the short run time for a single playthrough, this is probably my favorite game I've played this year so far. Granted, I haven't yet beaten Expedition 33 or played DK Bananza, but I do especially love emotional games, so this one sits at the top for me at the moment, it was just an extremely special experience.
BTW, this is included in PS+, so if you have that, you can play it "for free".
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee LinkI played 18 hours of the Battlefield 6 open beta between last weekend and this weekend and that was even with being entirely unable to play this last Friday and Saturday. You could say that I...I played 18 hours of the Battlefield 6 open beta between last weekend and this weekend and that was even with being entirely unable to play this last Friday and Saturday. You could say that I maybe liked the game... I do think it's a return to form if you're a fan of the battlefield 3/4 days, it's very reminiscent of that. The gameplay doesn't have many gimmicks and I love it for that. The gun play is excellent, the beta ran extremely well, I don't have any complaints. I will for sure be picking this game up day 1 later this year!
Besides that, I had a massive week in iRacing. I race in a gen 4 nascar league on Wednesdays and I've had a horrible string of luck this and last season with being wrecked out of races when I haven't really done anything wrong, just abysmal luck. Well, I finally strung together a few good races and on this last Wednesday, I placed 3rd at '08 Atlanta, an extremely difficult track! To top it off, my team and I then placed 3rd in top split in the inaugural Portimau 1000k!! So I had a pretty fantastic week, I'd say.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee Link ParentI'm so happy that your daughter enjoyed karting! Let me know if you ever have questions on racing or sim racing, I've been doing both for about 8 years now!I'm so happy that your daughter enjoyed karting! Let me know if you ever have questions on racing or sim racing, I've been doing both for about 8 years now!
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
EsteeBestee (edited )LinkI just finished Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment by Jason Schreier. I can't say how good of a general read this might be to non gamers, but I was absolutely...I just finished Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment by Jason Schreier. I can't say how good of a general read this might be to non gamers, but I was absolutely enthralled by it, even as someone who was already aware of most things that happened at Blizzard (I've been playing their games nonstop since I first started in World of Warcraft in 2006). I found the old history of Blizzard particularly fascinating since I didn't know much about them from the pre Warcraft III days, and even up to the Activision acquisition. It was both fun and horrifying to read about most of the company's history, tbh. I think Jason did a good job of setting appropriate tones for different sections while both being able to report accurate accounts as well as make it an exciting read. I do appreciate that he made proper slimeballs like Kotick truly come off as the scummy, greedy slugs that they are, and he didn't even have to do anything besides outline how those sleazeballs actually do act. Punches were not pulled and it was a good reminder of how awkward the games industry still is and how it's in a constant fight between people who want to make art and people who want to make money.
As an aside, I'm still just as conflicted about playing Blizzard games as I have been for 10ish years now. I keep finding myself going back because nothing ever feels quite as good as a good Blizzard game, but I'm keenly aware of the power struggles in the company and how shitty they've been between that, how they treat their employees, and the multiple controversies they've had. At the very least, I appreciate having more insight into the workings at that company than I did before. I do recommend this book to gamers, at least. It wasn't a particularly difficult read, I was able to knock it out in 3 sittings and it's very digestible.
I'd say the one thing that was missing for me is that the book lacked detail in certain spots. Like when I came across the chapter where Jason was finally going to talk about World of Warcraft's development and release, I started getting goosebumps at the thought of it, since WoW is one of the most culturally impactful games ever made as well as a very formative game for myself and a game that I still play 20 years on. While some time was spent talking about the cultural impact, definitely, I feel like it could have been emphasized even further how big of a deal this game was; a reader who didn't play WoW at the time probably wouldn't be able to grasp just how big this game was from this book alone. Not a big complaint, but it was one chapter where I came out of it wishing there was a bit of a deeper dive.
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Comment on What happened to your first car? in ~transport
EsteeBestee LinkMy first car was an Oldsmobile Delta 88 that I got for $500 and fixed with my dad. My job in high school was delivering pizzas and I lived in a rural area, so I'd put on my metal albums and cruise...My first car was an Oldsmobile Delta 88 that I got for $500 and fixed with my dad. My job in high school was delivering pizzas and I lived in a rural area, so I'd put on my metal albums and cruise the highway most nights in that thing. It ended up having some overheating issues that the local mechanic couldn't figure out (and I wasn't yet much of a car person) so I actually gave it away to someone in need and bought myself a different car. Besides this Delta 88 and the second car I got, every single car I've had since then was a 4 cylinder even though I'm definitely a car person now and have driven everything up to a 10 cylinder. I have been thirsty to finally get a V8 in my life or a flat 6 (porsche go brrrrrrr), I just have a thing for 90's Japanese cars, so most everything I've bought has been a 4 cylinder.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee LinkI played the Battlefield 6 beta for 12 hours this weekend. We are so fucking back. The game feels incredible and it really does seem like they’ve learned from their mistakes in recent titles. This...I played the Battlefield 6 beta for 12 hours this weekend. We are so fucking back. The game feels incredible and it really does seem like they’ve learned from their mistakes in recent titles. This feels like a return to form of the battlefield 3 + 4 days, I just had a ridiculous amount of fun. The game also seemed to run and function pretty well for me. They pretty much sold me on it and now I’ve got the release date marked on my calendar!
I’m still also plugging away on both Star Wars Outlaws and Expedition 33. I’d like to try to beat both of them in the next month or so so that I can justify picking up Donkey Kong Bananza and Ghost of Yotei. I reckon I’m halfway through both of them and I’ve been in a Star Wars mood, so likely finishing Outlaws first.
I’ve still been rolling on Wow Classic as well, but the BF6 beta derailed me this weekend. I’ll likely go back to WoW in the next week or two when I feel like hanging on discord with friends instead of playing a narrative game. Otherwise nothing too exciting for me, lately. I’m moving next week and I’ll be low on cash for a bit so I’m trying to just get through some games I’ve already got that I need to finish.
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
EsteeBestee Link ParentSorry, I didn’t mean to imply it was a bad choice, it was just bad for my own body, but I know a lot of people can make 1200 work!Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply it was a bad choice, it was just bad for my own body, but I know a lot of people can make 1200 work!
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
EsteeBestee Link ParentYeah I also did 1200 calories a day in 2017 when I was desperate to lose for the first time and while it did work (lost 90 pounds in 6 months), it was unhealthy, I was miserable, and I rebounded...Yeah I also did 1200 calories a day in 2017 when I was desperate to lose for the first time and while it did work (lost 90 pounds in 6 months), it was unhealthy, I was miserable, and I rebounded hard once Covid started and my habits changed. So I’m doing it more smartly this time :)
Thanks for the chat, I appreciate it and it’s always good to know others have been in my shoes and made it, I can do it too.
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
EsteeBestee Link ParentThanks for mentioning your age, because at 33 I’ve been pretty nervous about my weight and while my health is good now, it certainly doesn’t help in the long term. I’ve been trying to lose more...Thanks for mentioning your age, because at 33 I’ve been pretty nervous about my weight and while my health is good now, it certainly doesn’t help in the long term. I’ve been trying to lose more long term now with good lifestyle changes over short term losses (which I always gain back) so it’s honestly comforting to know you even did it in your 40’s and going from 300 to 160 is massive, congrats! I’m trying to get myself to make healthy permanent changes over trying to target a number with a time scale of months.
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
EsteeBestee Link ParentWell, with deadlift, it helps that I've been fat my whole life, I got a head start on both that and leg press considering I already carry a lot of weight with me every day. I've also usually been...Well, with deadlift, it helps that I've been fat my whole life, I got a head start on both that and leg press considering I already carry a lot of weight with me every day. I've also usually been relatively athletic, despite my size, so now that fat is coming off, I'm having an easier time with things. Even though I hadn't been regularly going to the gym before last year, I did used to train in historical european martial arts and also performed some feats of strength as part of a viking reenactment group, so I already did have some of those muscle groups built up from practical applications. That said, I've still worked hard at it, so thank you! I started by "only" being able to do 3x3 at 160lbs or so, I've worked my butt off to build up in the last year and it feels great to now have a hobby where I can see hard work directly translate into measurable progress.
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Comment on [Rant? Vent? Musing?] I've become a surprisingly judgemental semi-sober person in ~life
EsteeBestee LinkI don't have a ton to add, but I feel so exactly the same way that this post could have been written by me. For most of my adult life, I participated in drinking and weed smoking, it was kind of...I don't have a ton to add, but I feel so exactly the same way that this post could have been written by me. For most of my adult life, I participated in drinking and weed smoking, it was kind of just a thing I did and never really thought about it. As I got older and started to appreciate life more, I kind of naturally stopped wanting to drink, smoke, have edibles, or be otherwise inebriated. I like how I feel while sober and I like maintaining my faculties so that I can enjoy just being. I do still have a beer sometimes if I go out to dinner with friends, but it's honestly more for me about a good pairing with the dinner than getting drunk, which I have no desire to do these days.
I like remaining me and waking up me instead of letting a substance alter how I behave and the more separated that I am from using substances, the more I think it's weird how ingrained substance intake is ingrained in our society. Alcohol especially is just a thing you do and has been that way for thousands of years, despite it obviously altering how people behave. I think I just don't "get it" anymore and that's okay, people can enjoy what they want (except obviously in dangerous scenarios like drinking and driving) and I'll enjoy being myself nearly 100% of the time.
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
EsteeBestee LinkI’ve been stepping it up lately at the gym. It’s been about 9 months now of me going 2-3 times a week for at least 70 minutes or so (and on the weeks I go twice, I do outdoor exercise like disc...I’ve been stepping it up lately at the gym. It’s been about 9 months now of me going 2-3 times a week for at least 70 minutes or so (and on the weeks I go twice, I do outdoor exercise like disc golf for additional exercise). For the longest time, I haven’t been losing much on the scale, but I’ve clearly been replacing fat with muscle (I’m mostly doing weight training) and my body shape has been changing for the better. Well, the weight also started dropping off lately and I’ve also been less hungry and eating better. I’d still like to explore medication options with my Dr. to help with diet, but I’m honestly feeling pretty good right now. I have a lot of fat to lose yet, but I’m getting there and ultimately I’m feeling healthy right now too.
For reference, I’m a 6 foot woman, currently at about 310lbs with my highest being 360 and my lowest of my adult life being 230 in 2018. I have a similar frame and the same height as another woman I know, who looked pretty fit when she was at 200lbs, so I think getting down to 200 would be nice, but I’m honestly taking it day to day right now instead of setting a daunting goal. Weight is coming off, muscle is building, I’m feeling healthier, I check out fine at the doctor, I’m less injury prone, and I’m eating better. So I’ll get there when I get there. I’m not really bothered by the number anyways, I just know I have 80ish lbs of fat to lose or more.
As for progress at the gym, I’ve stepped up my weights on a few exercises. For deadlifts, doing 5x5 at 225lbs has been getting easier and easier. I’ve also been using hand strength trainers as fidget toys while in meetings and it’s been helping with my grip on the bar. I did go for a max weight day last week and hit 300lbs!!! My bench press is still weaker than I want, but when I started, I was only the bar and now I’m up to 5x5 at 115lbs. I also started working in clean and jerk as well as squats. Not much to write home on PBs there yet, I’m keeping weights lower while I practice my form. I already hurt myself once this year, so I learned my lesson.
I’ve also been pushing with cardio more, lately. I used to only do about 10 minutes of seated cardio to cap off weight training days and I’d do an hour or so of basketball on fridays for my cardio. The courts have been too busy with school being out right now, so I’ve been capping my workouts with 20 minutes on the elliptical, instead, with decently high resistance and incline. It’s been helping a lot as well.
That was sort of rambly, tldr I’m feeling great even if I do have more fat to lose and I’m still fucking pumped from that 300 lb deadlift! I might look into if there a proper weightlifting gym around if I want to focus more on Olympic lifts, which have been the most fun and rewarding for me so far.
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Comment on What are some great actual comedies made in the last twenty years? in ~movies
EsteeBestee LinkI thoroughly enjoyed The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, definitely recommend if you want something funny!I thoroughly enjoyed The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, definitely recommend if you want something funny!
Yeah, it’s impossible to know what life holds in 5 or 10 years, but I’m hoping that I’m happy with the place and have no desire to move. I’d love to have this paid off before I retire and be able to perhaps retire early. I’m in my early 30’s and the thought of working for another 30 years is terrifying, so I’m hoping I can make it 20 instead.
That said, who knows if I find an SO and need a bigger place, if I need to relocate, or if other life stuff happens. For now I’ll just enjoy what I have and not worry too much about the far future until later.
The first order of business is tearing down my Impreza to fix all the issues with it now that I have a place where I can just have a car on jack stands for weeks and pick away at it.