Zorind's recent activity
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
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Comment on What's something you're "in too deep" on? in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentMy parents gave me the choice of going into public school at 6th grade or 5th grade, and I chose 5th grade because I had friends from sports that were going into 5th grade. (I technically re-took...My parents gave me the choice of going into public school at 6th grade or 5th grade, and I chose 5th grade because I had friends from sports that were going into 5th grade. (I technically re-took 5th grade, but I was at the age cutoff where I was either going to be one of the youngest 6th grader or towards the older end of 5th graders).
I’m a pretty introverted person, so the change to public school was a lot, but luckily I found an extracurricular (theatre) I enjoyed and was able to make friends there, which gave me a group to hang out with at lunch and after school.
Now, when I went to college, the biggest culture shock was Pop vs Soda, and I did get teased by one of my roommates for that.
I think the biggest difficulty would likely be misconceptions from others about your homeschool experience (basically every single time it came up people would say things like “wow I’d have no idea you were homeschooled”), or depending on how your kids do with homework and studying and how those sorts of assignments might be different in college, and not having the experience to draw on for motivation/how to study effectively/etc.
I guess I didn’t really answer your questions about pros/cons, but maybe that provided some insight? The most important thing is finding a way to make friends or people you can hang out with and study with in college IMO, and making sure they know what they can likely expect in terms of homework and assignments and tests.
Whether that comes from going to public school earlier, or from the ap-like classes and AP tests in a homeschool environment, I think either way is likely OK. (Also, with neurodivergent diagnoses, make sure to reach out/register with the university for accommodations. At the school I went to, most of the professors were good about it, but there were a handful that were not, and having “official” accommodations through the university made it easier to raise that up as a problem/get needs addressed)
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Comment on Moving out soon. Think out loud with me regarding saving money vs. quality of life. in ~life
Zorind LinkDoes your current place have in-unit laundry? I have never lived anywhere without in-unit laundry since college, and I don’t think I could do it. I would take the house with roommates on the...Does your current place have in-unit laundry?
I have never lived anywhere without in-unit laundry since college, and I don’t think I could do it.
I would take the house with roommates on the in-unit laundry alone (with the cost savings, doubly so). If the difference you’re looking at is really around $1,000 per month, that savings is definitely worth it, especially since you won’t need to buy a bunch of furniture. Having your own bedroom and bathroom is a pretty good deal, so as long as you don’t completely dislike the other people in the house I think you’ll be OK.
However, I would highly, highly recommend taking at least $500 of that $1000 difference each month, and put it into a Money Market or high yield savings account at your bank - should be at least 2-3% APY. That way, you have money set aside for unseen expenses, or for helping you move out of the place with housemates if you truly don’t like it.
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentNever really been interested in carving unfortunately. My first foray into woodworking came from making theatre sets, so very much not small scale, and also not very “quality” woodworking. Sci-Fi...Never really been interested in carving unfortunately. My first foray into woodworking came from making theatre sets, so very much not small scale, and also not very “quality” woodworking.
Sci-Fi and fantasy-adjacent Sci-Fi is cool! I do tend to like hard sci fi, but I’m also a sucker for fantasy. Good luck with your current novel, hopefully it gets easier as you keep working on it.
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Comment on What's something you're "in too deep" on? in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentNot the person you’re replying to here, but you might find it interesting to take a community college class on Ancient Greek Philosophy, or other Philosophy classes if you can find one! I got a...Not the person you’re replying to here, but you might find it interesting to take a community college class on Ancient Greek Philosophy, or other Philosophy classes if you can find one!
I got a minor in Philosophy to go along with my Software Engineering degree, because I enjoyed one of the required ethics classes I took that much (and because I was moderately interested in Stoicism at the time).
I really liked Aristotle and his approach to ethics that’s now broadly referred to as “virtue ethics”. I think we read a few articles by Martha Nussbaum and some by Alasdair MacIntyre.
I also took course on Applied Indigenous philosophy, where we explored some different ideas such as a kinship theory of ethics, influenced largely by Māori concepts. One article I recall reading was “Ngāti Kahu Kaitiakitanga” by Margaret Mutu, but I don’t know if it’s available for free anywhere.
I don’t know that I have a favorite “philosopher”, but along with Aristotle and the articles above, I did really like reading Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, Viktot Frankl’s Man's Search for Meaning, a couple of Camus books, though I really should read some more of them before I actually recommend them, and Walker Percy’s Lost in the Cosmos. …I may have been having a rough go of it during college.
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentShe is very pretty, and I think she knows it.She is very pretty, and I think she knows it.
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentDo you still do any woodworking, or just writing? If you don’t mind sharing more about what you write, I’d love to hear more about it, or what genres you write in? I keep trying to pick up simple...Do you still do any woodworking, or just writing? If you don’t mind sharing more about what you write, I’d love to hear more about it, or what genres you write in?
I keep trying to pick up simple woodworking as a hobby, but I think it’s probably reliant on me getting a house with a garage I can actually work in, rather than trying to woodwork in an apartment.
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentPics: https://postimg.cc/gallery/cvsDN1z Thanks! Her name is Ears lol. She’s been settling in OK but is still both very curious and wary about our apartment. Luckily she does know me and my wife...Pics: https://postimg.cc/gallery/cvsDN1z
Thanks! Her name is Ears lol. She’s been settling in OK but is still both very curious and wary about our apartment. Luckily she does know me and my wife fairly well as we’d been over to visit her/house sit where she was quite a few times over the past few months.
(@DefinitelyNotAFae you can see her too)
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
Zorind LinkLate 20’s/M/Ohio (USA). Software Engineer (Satellite ground comms). As far as I know, I don’t work for @devalexwhite lol. Adopted a cat this weekLate 20’s/M/Ohio (USA). Software Engineer (Satellite ground comms). As far as I know, I don’t work for @devalexwhite lol.
Adopted a cat this week
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Comment on What's something you're "in too deep" on? in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentI was homeschooled for most of elementary school, but when to public school for 5th grade through high school. My only concern with going directly from homeschooled to college/university, if...I was homeschooled for most of elementary school, but when to public school for 5th grade through high school.
My only concern with going directly from homeschooled to college/university, if that’s the plan, would be how large of a change that would be “all at once” and how the social dynamics would be vastly different.
But my homeschooling experience was positive, and it sounds like you’re doing a great job with AP-lite courses and making sure your kid is getting an actual education
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Comment on Toll roads are spreading in America in ~transport
Zorind Link ParentI really liked how the express lanes were done in the areas of the SF Bay Area I lived - express lanes really only charged during periods of high congestion, and were free with 2+ people in the...I really liked how the express lanes were done in the areas of the SF Bay Area I lived - express lanes really only charged during periods of high congestion, and were free with 2+ people in the car.
I generally dislike the idea of entirely restricting roads based on tolls - IMO, roads should be public-access, and that means they should be free. And I don’t love the idea of third-party companies (like EzPass) taking a cut of the toll.
Ideally, we’d charge something at the DMV based on vehicle weight & miles driven, since the gas tax ignores EVs and apparently is political suicide to raise. But I guess since we don’t have the infrastructure in place for that, toll roads do make sense.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Zorind Link ParentSo it’s not an actual assembly language as far as I know, and maybe not what you’re looking for at all, but the game Exapunks is a game where the main gameplay is writing assembly instructions for...So it’s not an actual assembly language as far as I know, and maybe not what you’re looking for at all, but the game Exapunks is a game where the main gameplay is writing assembly instructions for the EXAs to “hack” things. It’s a pretty fun game!
Either way, I would highly recommend it, even if it’s not exactly what you’re looking for
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Zorind Link ParentNice! I use hledger, but I did consider beancount. I don’t really remember why I ended up going with hledger instead. I do all my transaction importing “manually” since I like keeping an eye on it...Nice! I use hledger, but I did consider beancount. I don’t really remember why I ended up going with hledger instead.
I do all my transaction importing “manually” since I like keeping an eye on it directly, and because I’m doing weird things with my accounts for envelope budgeting
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Zorind LinkI’m currently working on creating a web app for budgeting! I’ve been using hledger (similar to ledger, or beancount) which is a plaintext accounting tool. Basically, transactions are added to a...I’m currently working on creating a web app for budgeting!
I’ve been using hledger (similar to ledger, or beancount) which is a plaintext accounting tool. Basically, transactions are added to a plain text file, which hledger parses and computes that I use to track my expenses and income, and I do a pseudo-envelope style budget with. Since it’s stored as a text file, I can easily back it up to my iCloud.
Currently, I add the transactions all manually every weekend by writing them into the text file (with vim & macros that auto populate most fields based on the bank account and card used) so it isn’t that painful), but I’m working on the web app so I can get nicer graphs out of it. There is a web ui it provides, but since I do some weird things with the accounts for the envelope style I’m using, the built in web ui doesn’t work for what I want it to.
I’m ultimately hoping to create a web app that still uses hledger as the “back end” via cli commands, but one where I can more easily view graphs. Stretch goals for the project are for me to be able to add transactions to it via the web app, and ideally host it with tailscale or something so I can access it from my phone and add transactions when I make them, rather than recording them at the end of each week.
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Comment on I sell onions on the Internet (2019) in ~food
Zorind Link ParentIf you look through his other posts, he bought DudeRanch.com for close to $20,000 and turned that into a successful business venture back in like 2009 or 2013 I think? So that’s where he got the...If you look through his other posts, he bought DudeRanch.com for close to $20,000 and turned that into a successful business venture back in like 2009 or 2013 I think?
So that’s where he got the money for the Onion thing. Not sure where he got the $25k for DudeRanch though
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Comment on 2025 NFL Season 🏈 Weekly Discussion Thread – Week 16 in ~sports.american_football
Zorind Link ParentDenver is getting a new stadium???Denver and KC will be dome teams in the near future
Denver is getting a new stadium???
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Comment on Steam Winter Sale 2025: Hidden gems in ~games
Zorind LinkI guess it’s technically not a “hidden gem” with > 1,000 reviews (but it is only at ~1200). Eternal Strands was a lot of fun! For just $12 it’s definitely worth it IMO. Took me about 25 hours to...I guess it’s technically not a “hidden gem” with > 1,000 reviews (but it is only at ~1200).
Eternal Strands was a lot of fun! For just $12 it’s definitely worth it IMO. Took me about 25 hours to beat so not too long, but has a decently interesting story, cute VN-like art style in some character interactions, and a physics based combat and magic system for exploring and taking down giant creatures.
- Yes, you can climb up onto a dragon and ride it.
- Yes, you can use ice magic to stick its wings to the ground and prevent it from taking off.
- Yes, it can break free of the ice and then take off into the air…
- And yes, you’ll then die when you fall off.
If any of those things interest you, I’d highly recommend picking it up!
TBH, if they made a switch 2 port I’d buy it again just to watch my wife play it.
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Comment on Steam Replay 2025 in ~games
Zorind LinkOnly 6 games played (4 fewer than last year). Expedition 33 (43 sessions, beat the game) Eternal Strands (16 sessions, I think I finished the main story?) Baldurs Gate 3 (13 sessions, stopped in...Only 6 games played (4 fewer than last year).
- Expedition 33 (43 sessions, beat the game)
- Eternal Strands (16 sessions, I think I finished the main story?)
- Baldurs Gate 3 (13 sessions, stopped in Act 1 - I did play through the whole campaign last year though)
- Supervive (13 sessions)
- Into the Breach (once)
- Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (once)
Primarily played in March - August.
Longest streak of 18 days.
Data Missing: My wife and I got a Switch 2 at the end of August.
- Mario Kart World
- Silksong (still in Act 2, haven’t played in a couple weeks…)
- Stardew Valley
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Comment on Advice request: potentially adopting a cat in ~life.pets
Zorind LinkAnyone have suggestions of specific litter box brands they use/like? Currently the cat is used to top-entry litter-boxes, and I’m not that worried about automated cleaning since it’s just one cat...Anyone have suggestions of specific litter box brands they use/like?
Currently the cat is used to top-entry litter-boxes, and I’m not that worried about automated cleaning since it’s just one cat and I’m already planning on scooping daily.
Just looking for recommendations on litter boxes that hopefully don’t result in lots of tracking of litter & might be OK to have on a carpeted floor, and maybe can keep smells down, since it will likely be in our living room. (We’re planning on also having one in the nearby bathroom that we don’t use all that much, with a door-stop to keep the door open so the cat has access to it at all times).
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Comment on JustHTML is a fascinating example of vibe engineering in action in ~comp
Zorind Link ParentI do agree with you the water and energy are probably very exaggerated. As I told my friend that sent me that mastodon originally, I do think it’s cool that there’s now a new HTML5 validator in...I do agree with you the water and energy are probably very exaggerated.
As I told my friend that sent me that mastodon originally, I do think it’s cool that there’s now a new HTML5 validator in another programming language (though I didn’t realize the test lib used was already in Python?).
LLMs do have their use case, and this does seem like one of them that isn’t “all bad” or even “mostly bad”.
With this setup, is Shelley basically a wrapper for whatever LLM you tell it to use, and you provide your own access key for that LLM?
I might actually have to poke around with it at some point. I’ve been hesitant to try out anything other than VSCode’s tab-autocomplete LLM, but I know that my work is probably going to start wanting us to use more agentic LLM-focused workflows at some point. And I’m struggling to figure out what a good learning resource for that would be. It seems like exe.dev / Shelley might be a good way to try it out in a fairly risk-free way?