Hobofarmer's recent activity

  1. Comment on Are you ready for it? in ~music

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    Real talk though I have some recurring themes in my dreams and I always wonder why my mind goes there.

    Real talk though I have some recurring themes in my dreams and I always wonder why my mind goes there.

    5 votes

  2. Comment on Are you ready for it? in ~music

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    Skipping through the fields, weightless as the fairies.

    Skipping through the fields, weightless as the fairies.

    3 votes

  3. Comment on America’s tech-filled classrooms are facing a backlash against school-assigned devices in ~life

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    As a single parent, no way am I leaving my phone at home. I don't feel like having my ex berate me because I didn't have my phone on me.

    As a single parent, no way am I leaving my phone at home. I don't feel like having my ex berate me because I didn't have my phone on me.

    2 votes

  4. Comment on When did you realize you were different? in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    This is gonna be one of those topics where I feel I'm not adding much because my experience echoes so many others here. I'm making myself post anyways, I think it's gonna be fine. I don't think I...

    This is gonna be one of those topics where I feel I'm not adding much because my experience echoes so many others here. I'm making myself post anyways, I think it's gonna be fine.

    I don't think I actively realized I was different or weird until much later than others, when I had a sort of "Aha!" moment. I think I was around 10? I'd moved a lot in my life, three different countries and half a dozen schools by that age. I never really developed proper social skills with kids my age as a result. The fact that I'm ADHD and likely also Autistic didn't help much, but I was a very smart kid and got along fine with adults so no one thought anything was wrong.

    I struggled a lot in middle school to fit in. I had very few friends and they were mostly outcasts and misfits. People who put up with each other because no one else would. I was lucky (unlucky?) enough to have access to the internet at an early age and I discovered when I was young that people online were much more forgiving of my quirks. I could be whoever I wanted to be. I'm still friends with some of those folks from a forum I joined 25 years ago.

    Come the middle of high school, it was time to move again, from the Midwest to a place that oddly enough, would accept my weirdness - Boulder, CO. I thrived there. I reinvented myself, and found people who accepted me as I was in real life and they were cool and popular and I became cool and popular by extension. This was a huge boost for my self esteem. I truly believe that without that experience, I'd be a sad mess of a person.

    I still struggled in many ways though. I had figured out friendships and how to get along in society, but I struggled with love. A lot. I had a string of short, meaningless relationships. I was always ready to dive in 100% and I think that scares people, but I know no other way to love - either I give it my all or I'm out.

    In the middle of my college years, I had a mental breakdown after a breakup and nearly ended my life, several times. I gave up on relationships for nearly a decade. To this day, I still have had only one relationship last longer than a few weeks. I don't know that I'll ever figure out love.

    At least despite my weirdness, I've got a rich social life and a happy job. I love teaching - one of the most rewarding parts of my job is when I see other weird and struggling kids and I have an opportunity to give them a place, a space, or a person to talk to that understands them. I run a chess club in my building that might as well be "the weird kids club" and I love it.

    Weirdness should be celebrated.

    14 votes

  5. Comment on Everyone against us in ~society

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    The stories I see portrayed here match ones I've heard of first hand. It is not hyperbole. I'm glad that there are those who are willing to fight against, and for, the system. I wish that we had...

    The stories I see portrayed here match ones I've heard of first hand. It is not hyperbole. I'm glad that there are those who are willing to fight against, and for, the system. I wish that we had more good people like this in other positions of power to support them.

    10 votes

  6. Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    Frankly, better benefits and more pay.

    Frankly, better benefits and more pay.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    I'm happy to talk about it! I taught prek in private school for 15 years so I'm not entirely new to teaching. I switched to 2nd grade in public school last year and it was also a very large shift...

    I'm happy to talk about it! I taught prek in private school for 15 years so I'm not entirely new to teaching. I switched to 2nd grade in public school last year and it was also a very large shift demographically for me - I went from teaching mostly white, middle class kids to teaching low income Black/Hispanic kids.

    Parents were for the most part easy to work with, though they weren't as involved as I was used to. The kids came with emotional baggage at times that could be difficult to deal with. They also have a different culture which I needed to adjust to.

    I do get summers off, though I can teach summer school if I wanted to. I have a young son though so I'd have to pay for daycare or camp and that is... Expensive. I'd lose all the income I make. I get paid year round (salaried) so I'm fine through the summer.

    2 votes

  8. Comment on Why Japanese companies do so many different things in ~finance

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    Thank you I really enjoyed this article.

    Thank you I really enjoyed this article.

    10 votes

  9. Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    This week marks the end of the school year. I've completed my first year teaching in public school, and now I have the entire summer to look forward to. It was an interesting year - many joys,...

    This week marks the end of the school year. I've completed my first year teaching in public school, and now I have the entire summer to look forward to. It was an interesting year - many joys, many hardships. I was challenged and I feel I rose to the occasion. My new colleagues like me, my scores were good, and families were happy.

    Tonight I fly out to be with my sibling for their graduation ceremony. I hope the weather is nice, otherwise I'll have to watch it on a screen, which would suck.

    I'm looking forward to spending more time with my son and creating memories together.

    6 votes

  10. Comment on What's your favorite personal gaming memory? in ~games

  11. Comment on What movies become better by having a bus suddenly come out of no where and hit someone? in ~movies

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    Star Wars would be immeasurably funnier if Darth Vader's fighter were hit by a bus instead of Han Solo.

    Star Wars would be immeasurably funnier if Darth Vader's fighter were hit by a bus instead of Han Solo.

    7 votes

  12. Comment on Timmy the stranded whale is dead. Please, let’s put animal welfare first and human emotion second. in ~enviro

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    Who wants to be the one that killed a defenseless whale on a public dime? It's a murder-suicide.

    Who wants to be the one that killed a defenseless whale on a public dime? It's a murder-suicide.

    7 votes

  13. Comment on What stock do you put in gut feelings? in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    This so much. Often times I don't comment simply because there's already so many other comments. What more could I possibly add that's worthwhile?

    Comment online (others can articulate your point better, you have more important things to do)

    This so much. Often times I don't comment simply because there's already so many other comments. What more could I possibly add that's worthwhile?

    8 votes

  14. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of May 11 in ~society

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    Sadly this is a strong point to bring up. Dems tried twice with a woman and while I don't think it's entirely the fact that they were women which reduced their chances at winning, it certainly...

    I'm realistic about Pritzker being a more "marketable" or "realistic" choice than any woman sigh and certainly any young brown women.

    Sadly this is a strong point to bring up. Dems tried twice with a woman and while I don't think it's entirely the fact that they were women which reduced their chances at winning, it certainly played an outsized role in their defeat.

    I would happily vote AOC. I can't speak to others.

    3 votes

  15. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of May 11 in ~society

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    AOC maybe, I'm also okay with Pritzker. He's another white billionaire though, but at least his track record is good.

    AOC maybe, I'm also okay with Pritzker. He's another white billionaire though, but at least his track record is good.

  16. Comment on Tildes Survey #3: What country were you born in? (Results) in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    I know a surprising amount of people from Czechia.

    I know a surprising amount of people from Czechia.

    2 votes

  17. Comment on Tildes Survey #3: What country were you born in? (Results) in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    Belgisch? A side effect of living where I do, compared to where I'm from, is that I never get to use my native languages.

    Belgisch?

    A side effect of living where I do, compared to where I'm from, is that I never get to use my native languages.

    2 votes

  18. Comment on Lost/losing the drive for friendship in ~health.mental

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    I'll try and take a look. I used to attend (infrequently) a Lutheran church that seemed genuinely welcoming and positive even to people like me. I enjoyed that.

    I'll try and take a look. I used to attend (infrequently) a Lutheran church that seemed genuinely welcoming and positive even to people like me. I enjoyed that.

    2 votes

  19. Comment on Lost/losing the drive for friendship in ~health.mental

    Hobofarmer
    Link Parent
    Honestly that last bit has been on my mind a lot. I'm an atheist, but I love the community that church can provide. If only there were some secular church...

    Honestly that last bit has been on my mind a lot. I'm an atheist, but I love the community that church can provide. If only there were some secular church...

    5 votes

  20. Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk

    Hobofarmer
    Link
    Last night I played MTG Draft for the first time. I had a blast, though I only managed two losses and a draw. I enjoy the deck crafting on the spot, it's an art. Today my kid and I went to a...

    Last night I played MTG Draft for the first time. I had a blast, though I only managed two losses and a draw. I enjoy the deck crafting on the spot, it's an art.

    Today my kid and I went to a birthday party, spent three hours at the park, and topped off the day with a trip to the carnival in town. What a day!

    Tomorrow I'll be doing a MTG Commander event and then D&D night with my friends.

    Only four more Mondays until I have the summer off!

    5 votes