TheDarkerZone's recent activity
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Comment on Digital Detox discussion: November 2026 in ~life
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (November 2026) in ~health.mental
TheDarkerZone Link ParentThank you, I appreciate it. Fingers crossed all works out for him sooner rather than later...Thank you, I appreciate it. Fingers crossed all works out for him sooner rather than later...
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (November 2026) in ~health.mental
TheDarkerZone Link ParentThank you for the kind words, they're very much appreciatedThank you for the kind words, they're very much appreciated
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (November 2026) in ~health.mental
TheDarkerZone LinkI had a bit of an eye opening weekend. Both good and bad happened. I want to share the objectively good openly and then the "bad" can be read at ones own risk. My dad showed up for a surprise...I had a bit of an eye opening weekend. Both good and bad happened. I want to share the objectively good openly and then the "bad" can be read at ones own risk.
- My dad showed up for a surprise visit, and whilst it usually bothers me when people show up unannounced, I actually enjoyed spending time with him this time.
- My brother bought me a pizza - I wanted pizza for dinner, and i planned to get one from the local Dominos after my dad left to visit my brother. He messaged me a few hours later to see if i was coming over, and i said I was just about to order food, and then I'll be down. He said "OK - we're ordering pizza, if you want some of course..." I expected to be sharing a pizza with someone because I only specified i wanted pepperoni, and my brother bought me a whole large American Hot style pizza. I was super grateful.
- I received my copy of An Emotional Education - The School of Life by Alain de Botton on Friday and its been a very good read for me. Some very interesting insights around perceptions of love, politeness, the emotional mesh/underpinning that religion used to provide us regardless of who we were and where we came from, etc.
- I had a really nice ~3 hour hike around a local wood with the dog. It was nice to disconnect and just be. We ran into a bunch of deer (apparently its peak mating season now so they're all out and courting...) and the dog must have had a field day with all the scents on the ground!
- I managed to do good by a stranger.*
- Tried a new meal prep recipe and whilst its not perfect, I at least know what direction im going to take it in for the following weeks in the month!
- I treated myself to a dessert waffle with white chocolate and raspberry sauce and a side of lemon gelato - I'm sure I've got diabetes now and im sure its nothing to do with why i woke up wired at 4am this morning but it was well worth it.
*Heavy discussion ahead - please only read if you're in a good/positive place. Using this as a space to share my thoughts and try and process.
I think I intervened in what potentially might have been a suicide and I'm not sure how i feel about it. On one hand, my frustration is immeasurable that a 17 year old would even consider this as a viable solution at their age; what kind of society enables this??? On the other hand, no one asked to be here, and i remember the conflict i felt at my grandparent being kept in a state of pain, despite being high as a kite on morphine and riddled with cancer, just so we could all spend more time with her. We're more compassionate towards pets; we put dogs down for less... I still dream about her cries some times.
On my way out of the carpark for the wood I walked around, there's an overpass above one of the main motorways in my region. There was a man stood looking out over the motorway. I paid no mind at first, but his posture bothered me, and as i drove past, i realised it was the same posture people in a bar have when they're unsure they're going to get a server's attention and are deciding if they should make an effort to get attention or go back to their seat.
So i pulled over, got out and went over to check everything was ok. It was a young kid - he said he was fine. I asked if he was sure, because this isnt somewhere people usually stop on their own. The silence after this made me realise I'd likely just interrupted what might have been a permanent solution to a temporary feeling.
I told him to come with me; we can have a chat in the car where its warm. He followed. I pulled off the road completely and I asked him if everything was really ok. He didnt answer, just cried. I let him cry. I tried to get him to talk about how he felt, but all he could say was "I cant do it. I cant take it." I sat back and shared some of my own struggles and explained that making a permanent decision to what might be a temporary feeling is a big risk. We dont know whats on the other side, and it might not even solve whatever pain he might be feeling. But that pain most definitely will be passed on to others, because there will be people that care even if he doesn't see it. I care, and I dont even know his name! I didn't get to know what had caused his consideration of the permanent solution, but I learned he was in higher education and only 17. Once he seemed to settle down, he put his seatbelt on; I suggested I drop him off at home, or somewhere near, at the very least away from the bridge. I think common sense kicked in at this point as he said "not home, nearby. I can walk from there."
I drove around the corner and he directed me to a petrol station; I agreed. Plenty of CCTV here and if he disappeared afterward I could point police to the station so they could track his movements. I wrote down my number on a receipt I had in the car, and gave it to him. I told him to call or text, whenever he needed to vent to someone who was unbiased and he could just use me as a place to shout into the void if needed. He stared at the number a long time. He told me his name, thanked me and shook my hand. I reminded him people care, I will listen, and to call or text if he needed it. I couldn't promise things would get better, but things WILL change, and that can sometimes bring better. He nodded and left, walking (thankfully) in the direction opposite to the bridge. Part of me is worried that I mentioned others would feel his pain instead of him if he went through it; i didnt want it to come across as him being selfish if he did what he wanted. I hope he didnt take it that way.
As i left, I noticed a police car fly past me, towards the bridge. I wonder if someone called it in. A second police car came towards me, sirens on, so i flagged him down and spun my car around to park behind them. I shared details of the encounter with them, and provided my details for them to contact me if they needed. I think the first car picked him up down the road. I drove to my brothers and cried to him and his partner.His dad called me later. He thanked me for saving his little boy. They were taking steps to get him help and he wants to meet for a coffee this week. I told him i did what I wish others had done for me when i needed it, and I'd be more than happy to meet when he was ready.
I'm so disheartened that this is happening. Its one thing to experience suicidal ideation and depression in yourself, but in others, especially strangers, its very jarring. I'm going to talk to my therapist about it when the time comes. For now, thank you for reading. Opinions welcome on whether i did the right thing or not, but probably best to format so that it hides your response to avoid triggering others.
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Comment on What foods are better after a day or two? in ~food
TheDarkerZone LinkI make a Jamaican Soup (mannish water or Saturday soup depending on what your family called it when you were a "pikni") that tastes so much more dense and flavourful after a day or two. The pepper...I make a Jamaican Soup (mannish water or Saturday soup depending on what your family called it when you were a "pikni") that tastes so much more dense and flavourful after a day or two.
The pepper spices soak into the veg, the spinners soak up and saturate the soup itself, and the goat/stewing steak softens and becomes so tender it makes one's mouth water. -
Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2026) in ~health.mental
TheDarkerZone Link ParentIts funny how things like that work! Everything seems to be connected! I should look into Brene's online content as it's been recommended to me before, by the withdrawn friend actually. Congrats...Its funny how things like that work! Everything seems to be connected!
I should look into Brene's online content as it's been recommended to me before, by the withdrawn friend actually. Congrats on the sobriety though, thats genuinely an awesome achievement and you should be proud of that! I can't get into audio-books personally, so ill likely end up watching or reading her stuff. -
Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2026) in ~health.mental
TheDarkerZone Link ParentHonestly, a whippet or a grey owned from birth will be athletic enough to keep up with any sort of agility, but if its a rescue, they're couch potatoes. Both rescues I've known of have been ex...Honestly, a whippet or a grey owned from birth will be athletic enough to keep up with any sort of agility, but if its a rescue, they're couch potatoes. Both rescues I've known of have been ex racers, yet the Italian Grey i know has been homed from birth and has so much energy its a little alarming! Happy to listen to you talk about your dogs though - feel free to drop a dm if you want. I'll also keep an eye out on the pet thread, and post pictures of Flo and A in the next one if i catch it!
I think i'll grab a copy of that this week; by your description and some light googling it seems to be what the book myself and the friend read should have been. The book we read, "Unbothered; The art of letting go to find yourself" by Margarita Nazarenko, was perhaps a little too close to the line on the control aspect of things. Granted, her history in the TV and Modelling industries probably has something to do with that, but based on the reading i've done for the book you've recommended, that is a bit more neutral and focused on how passivity manifests in men and how to undo that. Others have also mentioned it ties in quite nicely with some of the stuff Brene Brown talks about with regards to "choosing discomfort over resentment". Thank you for the suggestion - i'll try to remember to reach out once i've read it, as the "invisible contracts" angle you've mentioned is something I've had an awareness of but no real understanding of how to undo. This also probably stems from the narcissistic step parent and their abuse....
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2026) in ~health.mental
TheDarkerZone Link ParentThank you for taking the time to write out a reply! I will share updates if things progress, however I dont think I'll be likely to hear from them until the end of this month. My gut feeling is...Thank you for taking the time to write out a reply!
I will share updates if things progress, however I dont think I'll be likely to hear from them until the end of this month. My gut feeling is they will want to walk away from all this, or they'll come back with caveats. Either option is fine, and is an opportunity for me to learn at this point. The reality is I really do enjoy their company on a platonic level - we're both very alike and very polarised at the same time, and the balance we provide each other seems to be very complimentary, or so i thought.
I'm sorry to hear your relative didnt receive your book recommendation well. Its learning for you though, and at the very least it can help you recalibrate your understanding of who might be receptive to those kinds of gestures in future, both in terms of family and those outside of that. I'd be interested in taking a look at the book if you wouldn't mind sharing? I've returned to my copy of Epictetus's Discourses translated by Robin Hard, and its a pretty tough read so anything that can make chugging through each discourse would be appreciated.
Lastly, yes, it was quite a timely thing honestly - the friend had recently adopted an abandoned puppy, that appeared to be some sort of Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Pit Bull mix. They were trying to get him (A) socialised but most people were reluctant because of his appearance. My dog is an ex-racing greyhound, found as a stray in Ireland and then brought over to the UK. She (Flo) is a cat in dog form, and can come across as a little aloof, but was actually really helpful in getting him to approach cautiously and calmly because she didnt directly engage with him until there was food around or a specific reason to. "A" is over a year old now, and he's a little boistrous, but I cant imagine how much worse he'd be if he didnt have Flo's calm - read unbothered! - attitude as guidance in the early days. The friends other dogs, a full staffie and a Mini Schnauzer, give him other guidance; the staffie loves to play and the Schnauzer is an old dog who teaches him manners. The Staffie is not fond of Flo though (both female so maybe a territorial thing), however the Schnauzer warmed to her and would regularly rest next to her. I'm going to miss them if things dont work out.
Give your dogs a treat and a pet from me, and I hope you have a good day my friend. -
Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2026) in ~health.mental
TheDarkerZone (edited )LinkLong read; need a place to just articulate my thoughts - dont expect any advice or feedback so feel free to mark as noise. Have been working on myself and my deep seated childhood issues, and made...Long read; need a place to just articulate my thoughts - dont expect any advice or feedback so feel free to mark as noise.
Have been working on myself and my deep seated childhood issues, and made an unlikely connection along the way.
They've been with me for around a year and a half now; we slowly built a calming and respectful friendship built on dog walking, sharing culture, and body weight fitness (I'm calisthenics focused and they are pole fitness). 7 months in, they ask if there is any romantic feelings from my side; their ADHD means they arent really sure and dont know how not to ask, so just asked. They respected my autonomy and said they weren't expecting a specific answer either way. We discuss it and i explain relationships are off the table for me whilst i work on myself, however I'd be happy to wind things back if there were feelings from their side and it was detrimental to their health to maintain what we have - i wouldnt be offended. The appreciated my honesty and we had a good, level conversation about things. Gratitude, respect and admiration from both sides.
Build more of a relationship; motorspots, alt clothing (techware and industrial emo), and music. 4 months later, they ask me again if i've thought about what they said in November. I explain that I'm still not in a good enough place - intense fear of commitment due to fear around abandonment and "doing the right thing" stemming from one narcissistic parent's partner and a heavy handed other parent- but I am honest and say I have thought about it. I ask them where they're at, and they said probably the same place, but still open to the idea if it came to it. They highlight the importance of being comfortable in ones self before inviting others in, and this is something I'm working on too, so I enthusiatically agree and thank them for sharing that. I remind them that they're under no obligation to wait for me, and if they wanted to start dating again I had no power to stop them; i'd deal with it. They share they're not looking for anything, and are enjoying the slow burn, so theres nothing they want to change.
More of a relationship builds, and we start having more honest discussions; what we want for the future, what we expect out of future relationships. I share I feel im almost ready but this inner child work is chaos on my mental health and I'm struggling. They support me and share they're not interested in dating outwardly; it scares them, they arent looking, and they were not looking for me. They're still enjoying the slow burn and unlearning some old wiring and trauma through a positive, understanding, low pressure friendship, and think we'd be a very good couple. I agree, and thank them for their patience.Beginning of last month, they plan and book holiday for my birthday this month. I panic because I dont think i deserve it and cant afford my half; they reassure me that they want nothing in return, just my acceptance. If it made it easier for me, they suggest i cover the food costs to "balance" things out. I accept and start to feel better about it. They then start to feel off about it, because of previous bad experiences with family and ex partners. I reassure them and explain that its 0 pressure, we dont have to go, and if we do, we can take our own entertainment and co-exist with the dogs or find our own quiet corner and just exist independantly. This seems to reassure them and we enthusiastically plan other things. They lead with setting boundaries; physical affection, flirting, etc. I allow them to do this and accept it to begin with, but as it becomes more comfortable I reciprocate and the fears and old wiring i have start to ebb and flow in their intensity.
The week before last, they inform me that they're taking some time to work on themselves because they realise they are being inauthentic and performative and are going to be low contact. They also request they go on the holiday solo. Inner child panic sets in and starts screaming, and i default to problem solving and reassurance, instead of voicing just how much the 180 in their approach has upset me. Not the fact the holiday plans changed, the fact they set up a boundary and withdrew from me completely. Explain "I understand" and that its good that the self help book they're reading has made them realise they want to improve themselves to such an extent - they say they want to channel all their energy inwards to heal themselves and need the space to do it.
Have a week of no contact, and then they reach out to return clothing. I tell them thats fine and use the opportunity to clarify if this is the end of our story. They explain they thought i didnt want to be friends anymore because they'd upset me with the change of plans. Explain that wasnt the case and I'd be willing to maintain the friendship if they had the capacity. They were surprised and explained we can catch up after their trip, because perhaps we will both be in a better place. Small talk that feels like nothing has changed takes place (training and conditioning), and then back to silence.
I follow up the next day and ask them if they'd be open to clarifying new boundaries, based on the development they're making from the guidance in their book. I also reiterate i appreciate them and want to maintain the friendship, but the 180 in contact hurt me deep and my inner child - that i've been actively working on - is running rampant. They respond, calm and measured, saying they appreciated the vulnerability but cant respond in the right kind of way currently because they're directing their energy inwards. They'll reach out when they're back from their trip.I see my parent with the narcissitic partner the following day, and unleash the inner child on them. I feel bad, but this parent knew what was happening and chose to "keep the peace" which meant asking me as a child to apologise to the person that caused me pain, instead of the other way around. We hug in a way i've not had since i was a kid. They dont apologise. They ask me what im going to do, and i share that i dont really know. I then remember the name of the book the friend was reading, and decide to buy it and read it myself to at least try and understand what is happening if i cant understand why.
I buy the book - the parent pays for it, perhaps as an apology. I feel strange about reading a self help book I'm very clearly not the target audience of, and it feels almost manipulative to know what the withdrawn friend knows. But after speaking to some friends, they all pointed out that it doesnt seem the friend considered how their actions have ripples that affect those who care about them in different ways. I get halfway through the book and realise its just Stoicism, sprinked in radical feminism, filtered through AI to make it as digestible as possible. Its fine? The majority of the exercises and work didnt apply to me, but the section on inner child was what i needed. I made around 20 pages of notes on things that applied to me, and i also considered each of the exercises from the friends perspective too - I understand what they're doing now, just not why. I've read the book in 2 days. Today is day three of knowing how to self soothe my inner child, self parent, promote self love. The irony being, I feel in a good enough place to entertain a relationship; my inner child doesnt scream and throw up the walls anymore. I feel good. I dont have the person that i want to share this goodness with around me at the minute, but I might eventually.
The main thing now, is if they come back, I can apologise if they felt they were made to feel like an option, an "almost" (as described in the book). It truly wasnt my intention - I wanted to be the best version of myself for them, but healing isnt linear and i didnt know how long it would take. That's why i tried to be as honest and open as possible with things. And they appeared to accept that. They might meet my apology with scepticism - the book states "you are the director in your movie - not the side character. Decide whos worthy of your time and let them perform for you" and you know what, I'm ok with that too.
I'm starting to know my worth and my issues were not my fault, and I'm not broken for feeling the way i did. My inner child knew no better, and now I know how to parent and soothe it, if the friend leaves or they do come back, my inner child knows I'm here regardless and will never be alone and questioning again.Thank you for reading this if you did - i apologise for rambling but consistent, restful sleep has escaped me for the past 2 weeks.
Edits; grammar and spelling.
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Comment on Autistic/neurodivergent/"just stubborn" members: how did you [happily] learn to do something you couldn't just instantly do? in ~life
TheDarkerZone (edited )LinkFrom the perspective of a "stubborn" individual, I do love learning new things, and I get the most enjoyment out of building on existing knowledge. This does make it difficult to learn new things...From the perspective of a "stubborn" individual, I do love learning new things, and I get the most enjoyment out of building on existing knowledge. This does make it difficult to learn new things though, as if there isn't a distant or favourable (?) link between a skill or interest I already have and this new thing, I feel completely out of my depth and uninterested.
The best example of this is me learning how to create array formula on a spreadsheet that scans the cells around it to know whether or not to paste text in the cell or not. I spent hours reading about different functions and ways of doing it, using specifically formula in each cell, because I already had the knowledge of how to build them. Someone suggested using VBA and macros, and I just couldn't understand it after looking into it. Would it have been a cleaner and more stable method? Absolutely. Did i learn it? Nope. Did I bash my head against the wall for hours to make the exact array formula I needed in one cell and then paste it across thousands? You bet.
Another example would be that I love deep diving into lore and backgrounds of media, like movies and games. But its very specific; Halo, Destiny 2, Call of Duty Zombies, the movies "Split", "Limitless" or "Jumper" , and even lore relating to smaller/obscure titles like Hotline Miami and Jet Set Radio Future- ill sit and watch content and read posts about them infinitely. The usual suspects though like Harry Potter, LoTR, GoT, WoW, Diablo etc, and im likely to be asleep before I get through to any major plot points or interesting bits that are the usual off ramp to lore hunting or additional reading.
I take the perspective of stubborn because I'm neurotypical as far as I know, but some neurodiverse friends have remarked I display traits sometimes.
Edit; I guess the "happily learn to do something i couldn't" point is just that I recognise outright if something is within my remit or not, based on whether I'm interested in it directly or tangentially. If its not, then I don't bother with it.
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Comment on JAECOO 7 becomes the UK’s best-selling car in 2026 after hitting number one spot in March in ~transport
TheDarkerZone Link ParentIt'd be nice for a legacy automaker to have a genuinely good option in the space, but I think that based on the discussion we're having now, the Asian OEMs will already be some sort of technology...It'd be nice for a legacy automaker to have a genuinely good option in the space, but I think that based on the discussion we're having now, the Asian OEMs will already be some sort of technology ahead by 2027.
Even if Ford manage to bring something to the table that makes sense and does really work from a completely isolated division, like Toyota with their GR line or Hyundai with their N division, I do wonder if the likes of CATL will have cracked the Solid-State battery barrier and be shipping those exclusively to domestic brands. At which point, the legacy brands are a step behind again and playing catch up. -
Comment on JAECOO 7 becomes the UK’s best-selling car in 2026 after hitting number one spot in March in ~transport
TheDarkerZone Link ParentInteresting - I looked into this as my comment above was just an assumption based on my experiences with Chinese manufacturers in my career industry, and an article by MIT argues there wasn't any...Interesting - I looked into this as my comment above was just an assumption based on my experiences with Chinese manufacturers in my career industry, and an article by MIT argues there wasn't any sort of misdirection or deceit on the side of what China were offering. In fact, quite the opposite and very clear: incentives were offered to all manufacturers of EVs, domestic and foreign, to set up manufacturing hubs and innovate in their region. China had the raw material supply, and they saw an opportunity to use that to their advantage. That has lead to their domestic brands being pressured by the established brands, and having to innovate their way out of being left behind and wiped out. Somewhat ironic!
With that said, according to the same article, they had the preferential technology and know-how ahead of others (as well as raw materials), due to them focusing on LFP batteries over NMC batteries that were preferred by the West. Now LFP are being developed at such a rate (CATL springs to mind), they are in a right place-right time scenario and are a step ahead of legacy manufacturers.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/02/21/1068880/how-did-china-dominate-electric-cars-policy/
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Comment on JAECOO 7 becomes the UK’s best-selling car in 2026 after hitting number one spot in March in ~transport
TheDarkerZone Link ParentIf you consider that it looks like a JLR, and the origins of JLR vehicles were "want to look like you own something expensive, without it being expensive? Buy a Jag!" it kind of makes sense in a...If you consider that it looks like a JLR, and the origins of JLR vehicles were "want to look like you own something expensive, without it being expensive? Buy a Jag!" it kind of makes sense in a tangentially related way. Very few people need a car as big as a RR on British roads (excluding farmers, and maybe families with disabilities but there's a government scheme for that and they definitely dont buy Jags), and the Jaecoo fills that niche of big, imposing looking car on a budget.
This video ties into it quite nicely - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyY5kqqVq1k
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Comment on JAECOO 7 becomes the UK’s best-selling car in 2026 after hitting number one spot in March in ~transport
TheDarkerZone Link ParentIt is yes, and the only reason I'd pick the Denza is because its one of a handful of station wagon/estate car shaped EVs that doesnt look disfigured. Its like an old Alfa and a Porsche Taycan had...It is yes, and the only reason I'd pick the Denza is because its one of a handful of station wagon/estate car shaped EVs that doesnt look disfigured. Its like an old Alfa and a Porsche Taycan had a baby. The only other plausible option is the VW ID.7 but much like you I think the current VW lineup is poor compared to the competition.
As for whether it swings towards praise or condemnation, i'd say both. For example, BMW's EVs are by no means bad, they're just... BMW. And with their current offering i dont know if they're worth the price. On the other hand, I suspect China's economic advisors saw that everyone else was slacking on the non-ICE side as a whole and took a gamble thats paid off; Its directly in their interests now to actually make decent cars because they caught everyone on the back foot. The exception here is Tesla, which is complicated and somewhat upsetting that something so promising and capable has been marred by external events. If Rivian were ever to bring their R1S to the EU market I'd be tempted though and i think they'd do pretty well as the alternative to Tesla.
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Comment on JAECOO 7 becomes the UK’s best-selling car in 2026 after hitting number one spot in March in ~transport
TheDarkerZone Link ParentI remember not too long ago being told sentiment towards Chinese EVs and tech as a whole wasn't changing and hadn't changed for a while... Interesting. Anyway, i think its more to do with cost...I remember not too long ago being told sentiment towards Chinese EVs and tech as a whole wasn't changing and hadn't changed for a while... Interesting.
Anyway, i think its more to do with cost that Chinese EVs are succeeding at the minute - for the price, and the kit that comes with them according to reviews, they're really not a bad option. The next closest are KIA and Hyundai i think anecdotally; Similarly to how opinions towards Skoda changed when they got bought out by VW and the design language changed, I think KIA and Hyundai recruiting some talent from the German auto industry really did them some favours.I dont hold out hope that European car makers will change for the better honestly, after Dieselgate, the Diesel Cartel Scandal, and some of the various news about features being locked behind subscription models. My current car is a 2011 Skoda Octavia VRS, and that will be relegated to a project car if i can scrape together the cash for an EV, which will be Chinese (Denza Z9GT if i can afford it) or Korean (Hyundai Ioniq 5N is currently at the top of my shortlist).
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Comment on How has climate change affected your life / plans? in ~enviro
TheDarkerZone LinkI live in the UK. Im late 20's and remember a distinct transition between the seasons as a kid, whereas now it very much feels like a potluck draw as to what the weather is going to be like, with...I live in the UK.
Im late 20's and remember a distinct transition between the seasons as a kid, whereas now it very much feels like a potluck draw as to what the weather is going to be like, with seasons appearing to blur together. We didnt need AC during the summer; light clothing was fine usually, and light bedsheets were enough at night. It wasnt bitingly cold or disruptively snowy in the winters; a nice coat and boots were enough for the hour of snow we had each year.
Now, living on my own, i dont bother cycling my clothes in my wardrobe out depending on the seasons because all weather is a possibility; I'm renovating with a priority on AC installation and temperature retention in the home, with window upgrades, reflective blinds, thermal curtains, etc; if i move in future I'll be taking into account the homes ability to accommodate renewables and AC, and they'll be the first things i install once settled in. It seems very short sighted to not even consider the weather and how it affects us nowadays, but I know its a British stereotype to enjoy a good moan and I'm no exception to that rule. I'd just like to complain about something worthwhile! -
Comment on Around twenty drown in France as French seek relief from heatwave in ~enviro
TheDarkerZone Link ParentI did exactly this - bought a portable AC unit that utilises a heat pump and has both heating and cooling functions. Costs much less to run than expected, and me and the dog are relaxing at a...I did exactly this - bought a portable AC unit that utilises a heat pump and has both heating and cooling functions. Costs much less to run than expected, and me and the dog are relaxing at a comfortable 19°c, whilst its touching 32°c outside.
As an aside, people gave me strange looks for putting solar panels and a battery in the house as one of the first major renovations i did when i moved into my current place nearly 3 years ago. Now i can run an AC without feeling the effects of it on my utility bills during these "freak and infrequent" UK heatwaves.
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Comment on Buying a high-end PC for the first time - help me to doublecheck what I'm buying? Is 4k a bad idea with the specs? in ~tech
TheDarkerZone Link Parent850W will be fine; I only went with the one i did because at the time it was £2 cheaper due to a promotion, and with people talking about additional headroom, it would've been stupid not to! If...850W will be fine; I only went with the one i did because at the time it was £2 cheaper due to a promotion, and with people talking about additional headroom, it would've been stupid not to!
If you dont plan on touching any RGB, you'll never have to deal with the ASRock (or whichever vendor you made the card) software so you'll be fine. The MSI software was decent, as was the NZXT software.
I used Adrenalin to turn off the Zero RPM function, which is a function to turn off the GPU fans whilst its below a certain temperature for noise and power consumption reduction. I think power wise it'll save a few W's but I'd rather just have the GPU cooled and am not bothered by the additional noise. I also set a slightly more aggressive fan speed profile so the fans kick in earlier. -
Comment on Buying a high-end PC for the first time - help me to doublecheck what I'm buying? Is 4k a bad idea with the specs? in ~tech
TheDarkerZone LinkI have a pretty much identical set up (9070 XT, Ryzen 7 9800X3D, MSI B850S, 1TB DDR6 Kingston SSD for main drive and 1TB 970 Evo + SSD for secondary drive, 32GB Corsair DDR5 RAM) and the only...I have a pretty much identical set up (9070 XT, Ryzen 7 9800X3D, MSI B850S, 1TB DDR6 Kingston SSD for main drive and 1TB 970 Evo + SSD for secondary drive, 32GB Corsair DDR5 RAM) and the only thing I was told not to cheap out on and provide some overhead for was the power supply. The configurator i used was suggesting the same 850W unit you have, but i went for a Corsair RM1000e i think it is, which is 1000W.
I run an AOC G2490W1G4 ~21' and an AOC CU34G2XP 27' - so far it has eaten everything I've thrown at it on the main monitor (the 27' is a 3440 x 1440) without issue. I dislike using any sort of scaling and for games like Cyberpunk on high settings with RT low or off, I get a steady 40-60FPS. Everything else, ranging from Overwatch, Deadlock, CS2, Civilisation, Marathon, Enter the Gungeon, it can maintain 144FPS + on med-high settings.
I've used it for tasks like 3D scanning, rendering, mesh manipulation and CAD modelling and it has had no issues there either.
I think with you moving from a 1070, you'll be very happy. The only thing I'd mention is the AMD software can be a bit clunky, and any RGB element control can be a bit hit and miss - my GPU is the Asrock Steel Legend and the RGB control software crashed any time i changed a colour more than once in 5 seconds. AMD Adrenalin can be a bit annoying too sometimes, but no more so than my old i9900k RTX2080 Alienware Area51M was with the Nvidia and Intel drivers honestly.Edit - made up an entire Intel CPU by accident by adding one too many 9's
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Comment on Hyundai Ioniq 5N or: welcome back Forester XT in ~transport
TheDarkerZone Link ParentTotally agree with you on the grey, and am a big fan of the white too. I hadn't noticed a price difference between orange and the other colours but that's something I'll keep in mind. It sounds...Totally agree with you on the grey, and am a big fan of the white too. I hadn't noticed a price difference between orange and the other colours but that's something I'll keep in mind.
It sounds like a tinkerers dream honestly and I'm glad to hear you're happy with the abundance of features that many reviewers suggest is overwhelming.I appreciate the sleeper aspect of it too, and would be perfectly fine at a cars and coffee pitched out the way of all 20 flavours of Porsche, Supra and 3 Series.
Thanks for getting back to me and maybe I'll be able to nab a decent pre-owned when the 6N gets released here in the UK!
This sounds like a good idea! In a similar vein, myself and a friend have opted to do more analogue hobbies, and are gently holding each other accountable for engaging with them in the lead up to the holidays.
They enjoy writing and the first step was for them to buy themselves a nice notepad and writing pen to motivate them. Then they've been thinking about what to write this month. We've been actively discussing what they could write and realise they enjoy the process more than the outcome, so maybe the inertia for starting to write comes from the subject they're writing about. This is what they're exploring this month.
I'm choosing to paint with oil and canvas since I did a Bob Ross paint along on my birthday a few months back and had a really good time. I've got leftover bits to paint with, and have bought fresh canvas to paint on since. I accidentally bought a 3 pack, so I've used two already; the first one was just painting my dog from memory with no prep. She looks like some form of possum.... The second one used more prep such as sketching her outline for various poses, having image references, and spending a little more time mixing colours to properly match various features she has. I enjoyed the process of painting and the outcome of both sessions, but for different reasons, and the last canvas will hopefully enable me to enjoy all aspects of it for the last painting!
Both of our activities have allowed us to take hours away from the digital realm when we can afford to, and at least for me; I've thoroughly enjoyed it!