WhyCause's recent activity
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Comment on Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
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Comment on Looking for slim wallet recommendations in ~life.style
WhyCause Link ParentI use their Daily Wallet to hold about 8 cards and cash. I think I stretch it out more than it's designed to hold. I keep cash folded twice and two debit/credit cards on the elastic side, and the...I use their Daily Wallet to hold about 8 cards and cash. I think I stretch it out more than it's designed to hold.
I keep cash folded twice and two debit/credit cards on the elastic side, and the remaining cards on the other. I have two IDs in the front pocket on the non-elastic side, and the remaining cards in the back one. That said, most of the cards in the back pocket are insurance-style cards (basically laminated paper), and they are sometimes difficult to pull out.
It's worked reasonably well for me, but I'm not a huge fan of the style of it. Of course, practicality won out (it was $5 on clearance at Academy Sports).
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Comment on Choosing a TTRPG system in ~games.tabletop
WhyCause Link ParentI worry about the 5e2024 rules; everything I've read is that the player characters have even more options and power. I think it's about to get even worse.I worry about the 5e2024 rules; everything I've read is that the player characters have even more options and power. I think it's about to get even worse.
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Comment on Choosing a TTRPG system in ~games.tabletop
WhyCause LinkAfter years of playing 5e, our DM got kind of sick of players still not knowing exactly what their characters could do (seriously, there were flowcharts made and everything), and combat turns took...After years of playing 5e, our DM got kind of sick of players still not knowing exactly what their characters could do (seriously, there were flowcharts made and everything), and combat turns took forever.
To "fix" this, we switched to Shadowdark (after a stopover in Old School Essentials-land), and we haven't looked back. Players are much more constrained in their options, so you don't get the analysis paralysis of 5e. Combats buzz along, even with 6 or 7 players at the table. You get the lethality of old D&D with the modern convenience of d20 roll-over. The rules are extremely easy to read and use, whether in book form or in PDF, and all of them (player and DM) are in one book.
There's no adventure or specific setting in the core book, but there are three 'zines (for now, more are coming next year) called Cursed Scrolls that are each set in a different milieu and include new character classes and an adventure in that setting. Old D&D modules are stupid-easy to convert (drop a zero from the treasure, and swap the D&D monster stat blocks for the equivalent SD one); some people do the conversion on the fly during play. There's also a pretty active community (Reddit and Discord) making new (often free) stuff all the time.
At the very least, I'd suggest you read the free Quickstart rules (available at the above link), which you can also use to run a session or two to see how you like it.
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Comment on Does anyone have any advice for new dads? in ~life.men
WhyCause LinkAs a father who also lives far away from family (not quite as far as you, but far enough), I have six specific suggestions for you. These may seem glib, but I'm deadly serious. Things not covered...- Exemplary
As a father who also lives far away from family (not quite as far as you, but far enough), I have six specific suggestions for you. These may seem glib, but I'm deadly serious. Things not covered by these you'll either figure out quickly on your own or the pediatrician will set you straight on.
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Buy a couple of packs of handkerchiefs, and carry one with you all the time. They are nose-wipers, tear-dabbers, face-napkins, blood-stoppers, butt-cleaners (with a little water), emergency capes and bandit masks, and, occasionally, an emergency diaper. I buy handkerchiefs for the parents any time I go to a baby shower, no matter what's on the registry.
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Learn a few origami models. The number of times a crane, flapping bird, boat, samurai helmet, or dinosaur has given me a few moments' peace are uncountable.
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Talk to them all. the. time. Talk to them when you carry them or wheel them down the aisle at the store. Talk to them while feeding them or changing their diaper. Read to them when you run out of things to talk about. Do it in different languages as needed. Someone else mentioned this already, but it's pretty important.
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When you're starting to potty train them, buy a pack of post-it notes and keep it in the diaper bag. When they sit on a toilet in a public bathroom, use a post-it to cover the automatic flush sensor, and keep it on there until they leave the stall. Kids sit just at or below the beam, and any time they move, the toilet flushes; modern toilets have a loud flush that scares them and makes them not want to go to the bathroom when out, which will make for accidents and added stress for both you and the child. Also keep in mind that going to the bathroom is one of the only things young children have control over, so don't try to force it on them. Let them guide you on when they're ready to start learning, or they will exercise their one lever of control. Also, hand dryers can be super loud; cover their ears when they use them so hand-washing isn't a frightful experience as well.
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Be willing to take the baby off by yourself; your wife will need the breaks, even if she says she doesn't. When you go to a store, take the kid to the toy or book section by yourself; let her browse. When at home, take the baby into another room to play or on a walk when you hear her teeth grind. The flip side of that is that you'll need breaks as well; I recommend a trip to the restroom when you feel your blood pressure rising. Five minutes of peace can reduce frustration immensely, even if you just stand in front of the toilet and do nothing.
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This one is the most important, and the hardest, but it is essential; build a local family. Make sure you have friends you can invite over when the baby goes to bed. Have a couple of friends you can count on to watch the kiddo while you and your wife go to the DMV or store for 20 minutes. Take advantage of the neighbor who says they can watch them while you go out to dinner. Find the lady who watches kids on the side instead of a regular day-care and stick with her. Raising a kid is a lot of work, and it's extremely difficult to do it all on your own.
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Comment on If you had up to US$250 to get one person into a hobby you're interested in, what would you do to get them started? in ~hobbies
WhyCause Link ParentAfter not playing since the Ice Age expansion (so, '95-ish), my son convinced me to take him to a pre-release event (Murders at Karlov Manor), and I enjoyed it way more than I expected. It turns...After not playing since the Ice Age expansion (so, '95-ish), my son convinced me to take him to a pre-release event (Murders at Karlov Manor), and I enjoyed it way more than I expected.
It turns out that I like the draft format, and I liked that I wasn't the only one going in at least partially ignorant of the combos to look for. It was a very newbie-friendly environment that might work well to introduce someone to MtG.
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Comment on How do you even find quality appliances anymore? in ~life.home_improvement
WhyCause Link ParentI've had better luck with a local appliance parts store. I had the clutch and transmission go out on my (ancient) washer, and my local parts store had both for much less than I could find online....I found a site that sold replacement parts with comprehensive guides and just replaced the $60 part.
I've had better luck with a local appliance parts store. I had the clutch and transmission go out on my (ancient) washer, and my local parts store had both for much less than I could find online. I was also guaranteed to be getting the correct parts, since I went in with a photo of the model number label. They also had the one special (inexpensive) tool I needed to do the replacement easily, and suggested I buy that as well (that likely saved me a lot of headaches).
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Comment on Why most men don’t carry a purse in ~life.men
WhyCause Link ParentNo offense, but this might be the single-most British statement I've ever read.emergency pot of jam
No offense, but this might be the single-most British statement I've ever read.
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Comment on What are some things you do "the old fashioned way," which might come with unexpected benefits over the modern, "improved" way of doing things? in ~talk
WhyCause Link ParentMath is one way I keep my brain "online" enough during long drives to stave off road-hypnosis. Mile marker 282? At 77mph, I'll get through this state in (mental math noises, carry the 4, etc.)...Math is one way I keep my brain "online" enough during long drives to stave off road-hypnosis.
Mile marker 282? At 77mph, I'll get through this state in (mental math noises, carry the 4, etc.) ...about 3 hours and 40 minutes.
Mile marker 281...
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Comment on What are some things you do "the old fashioned way," which might come with unexpected benefits over the modern, "improved" way of doing things? in ~talk
WhyCause Link ParentThey also keep me from getting speeding tickets, particularly in school zones (which, I guess is also safer driving). For example, in a 20mph school zone, I put my car in third (it's a six-speed,...They also keep me from getting speeding tickets, particularly in school zones (which, I guess is also safer driving).
For example, in a 20mph school zone, I put my car in third (it's a six-speed, and geared kind of funny), and idle / barely put my foot on the gas. If I really wanted to make sure I didn't go over 20, I could keep it in second and keep my foot on the gas, but keeping it in third means I can accelerate without shifting once I get out of the school zone.
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Comment on What are some more obscure hobbies you enjoy? in ~hobbies
WhyCause Link ParentI agree, however, when I'm playing cards, I'm often playing enough hands to wear out the cards reasonably quickly. I prefer the nicer card stock and relative affordability of brands like Bee...I agree, however, when I'm playing cards, I'm often playing enough hands to wear out the cards reasonably quickly.
I prefer the nicer card stock and relative affordability of brands like Bee simply as a practical matter. For decks I buy because I like the looks, cardstock and finish quality never sway me one way or the other.
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Comment on What are some more obscure hobbies you enjoy? in ~hobbies
WhyCause Link ParentPre-pandemic, I was playing a few times a week, for a couple hours at a time. This tends to wear the cards out pretty quickly, so, yes, I preferred Bee because I didn't have to buy new decks quite...Pre-pandemic, I was playing a few times a week, for a couple hours at a time. This tends to wear the cards out pretty quickly, so, yes, I preferred Bee because I didn't have to buy new decks quite as often. Bicycle was a close second choice.
Purely a practical consideration.
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Comment on What is the oldest TV show you actually enjoy? in ~tv
WhyCause LinkI stay up late every Saturday night to watch Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, which ran from '64-'68. I never saw it or heard of it before I stumbled across it one night late, and it's become one...I stay up late every Saturday night to watch Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, which ran from '64-'68. I never saw it or heard of it before I stumbled across it one night late, and it's become one of the few shows I make time to watch.
Even older than that, though, is my favorite Western, Have Gun, Will Travel, which ran from '57-'63. This one came on a lot in my Gen-X youth; I loved it then, and I still love it today. I watch it every time I see it while channel-surfing.
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Comment on What are some more obscure hobbies you enjoy? in ~hobbies
WhyCause Link ParentI dabbled in sleight-of-hand magic when I was younger, but I never got into card magic. I practiced a lot of card manipulation, though, and that's part of why I grew to like Bee; they're stiff...I dabbled in sleight-of-hand magic when I was younger, but I never got into card magic. I practiced a lot of card manipulation, though, and that's part of why I grew to like Bee; they're stiff enough to put up with some abuse, and they're smooth enough to not catch when you're manipulating a card all the way around the deck. Also, for as big a guy as I am, my fingers are somewhat stubby, so it was easier for me to use the Bridge-width decks. The general availability of Bee (or Bicycle as a second choice) cemented my preferences.
At about the time I was manipulating cards, I took a left turn into actually playing cards, specifically Euchre. At that point, anything beyond being able shuffle well and quickly was just showing off, so I really went no further with card magic. With Euchre being a somewhat fast game with much shuffling, sturdier and readily available / inexpensive cards became my go-to choice.
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Comment on What are some more obscure hobbies you enjoy? in ~hobbies
WhyCause Link ParentI do like how accessible playing cards are as a collectible; even the plane-spotter cards weren't very expensive when I bought them (probably around $10 for both). Some of the mass-produced modern...I do like how accessible playing cards are as a collectible; even the plane-spotter cards weren't very expensive when I bought them (probably around $10 for both). Some of the mass-produced modern decks are still pretty cool, though I now avoid the myriad Bicycle special editions that I would have picked up in the past (to preserve my wife's sanity).
Some modern "neat" decks I'll still grab, though. For example, I have a deck of Animal Crossing cards that Nintendo released as a My Nintendo physical bonus, and a deck of cards I found at IKEA one time. Neither are terribly special, and both were inexpensive, but they're different-looking enough that I hang onto them. I also ask friends who travel to Europe to bring me decks as souvenirs, since some countries use different suits and I find that history interesting.
Grabbing a bunch of cheap decks over the years did leave an impression on me; I'm pretty snobby about the quality of the cards I buy to play now. If it were up to me, I would only play with narrow-width Bee decks, blue back.
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Comment on What are some more obscure hobbies you enjoy? in ~hobbies
WhyCause Link ParentThis was a hobby of mine for a while in my youth. My most valuable (to me) "score" was two decks of Vietnam war-era plane spotter cards, but then I stopped going to antique shows with my parents...This was a hobby of mine for a while in my youth. My most valuable (to me) "score" was two decks of Vietnam war-era plane spotter cards, but then I stopped going to antique shows with my parents and started grabbing crummy decks because I thought they were "neat". Then, once I got married, my wife kept asking, "do we really need all of these decks of cards?" Most of the crummy ones were gone pretty shortly thereafter.
I found some pre-revolutionary French cards (face cards of each suit, mounted and framed separately) once that I was very interested in... until I saw the price.
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Comment on Beer peeps, what have you been drinking? in ~food
WhyCause Link ParentI just want a beer-flavored beer; something I can drink several of without blowing out my tastebuds. I've been to breweries where they have nothing but IPAs, and I just wonder how many potential...I just want a beer-flavored beer; something I can drink several of without blowing out my tastebuds.
I've been to breweries where they have nothing but IPAs, and I just wonder how many potential customers they drive off with their insistence on one style.
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Comment on Beer peeps, what have you been drinking? in ~food
WhyCause Link ParentCincinnati's Rheingeist is like that for me. I've not had a bad beer from them, even styles I don't usually like.Cincinnati's Rheingeist is like that for me. I've not had a bad beer from them, even styles I don't usually like.
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Comment on What’s something you’ve noticed about getting older? in ~talk
WhyCause Link ParentOnce you get to a certain age, your barber will start asking if you want your eyebrows trimmed. Take them up on it. It means other people can see the crazy-long hairs, not just you.Once you get to a certain age, your barber will start asking if you want your eyebrows trimmed.
Take them up on it. It means other people can see the crazy-long hairs, not just you.
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Comment on ‘Dilbert’ author Scott Adams tells White people to get away from Black people, gets dropped from US newspaper in ~arts
WhyCause Link ParentI suspect that the opinions of "celebrities" reflect the population as a whole; that is if X% of the general population believes something, about X% of celebrities will too. The difference is that...I suspect that the opinions of "celebrities" reflect the population as a whole; that is if X% of the general population believes something, about X% of celebrities will too. The difference is that most of the time, people in the public eye keep someone around to help them navigate the waters of public opinion, with an eye toward preserving their celebrity status and income. As many of us have seen with relatives, though, the rise of The Former Guy has freed some to grace us all with their real opinions, consequences be damned.
Competency has the nasty side effect in some (including me) of inducing stubbornness, and if you push against stubbornness too hard or too often there will be a response. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to learn that, over the years, there have been several (unwelcome to Adams) conversations about diversifying the cast of Dilbert, and the recent strips and this podcast are him finally responding, feeling freed by the zeitgeist. I'll bet Adams is currently laughing at the shit-storm he's started, much like that crotchety old uncle at Thanksgiving who proclaimed some belief that made monocles drop into teacups.
TL;DR: Adams has probably always thought this and for now he feels like he can get away with saying it.
Oh, man; I thought I was the only one! I get so many death announcements, receipts, verification emails, etc. that I can't believe there are that many people with my last name out there (it is decidedly uncommon). I can only assume it's the same three people handing out my email address as theirs.
I used to reply to the (human) senders, letting them know that they had the wrong contact info, but one time I replied (nicely) to someone who sent me staff salary information for a church, and they got real snarky. At that point, I just started deleting and / or unsubscribing as they came in.