doors_cannot_stop_me'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 Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentIt's my favorite, too! I like to say it's the only hard sci-fi book with a works cited and vampires that I know of.It's my favorite, too! I like to say it's the only hard sci-fi book with a works cited and vampires that I know of.
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Comment on ADHD and TODO lists in ~health.mental
doors_cannot_stop_me LinkI (not diagnosed, but my struggles align strongly with those I hear of from ADHDers) use Google Keep notes for my to-do list at work. My strategy has been to make a loose list for next week on...I (not diagnosed, but my struggles align strongly with those I hear of from ADHDers) use Google Keep notes for my to-do list at work. My strategy has been to make a loose list for next week on Friday, with each day as a heading item and with tasks under some of the days if I've planned any. After the Friday heading and sublist is one I've called "add to next week," which holds all of the things I hope to do soon-ish, and some things that I'm pretty sure I won't get to, even next week.
So each day I arrive at work and start working on anything truly time-sensitive from that day's list, unless there's a new fire to put out first (which there almost always is). If I get done (or bored) with a task, I check it off. If it wasn't completed, I make a copy of it to add to a later day or the next week catchall, and change the original to reflect that I did some work, e.g. "Fix widget design" becomes "Work on fixing widget design." If a task not on my list gets put on me, I add it to the list when I'm done putting out the fire and check it off immediately. This way I have a record of what I actually accomplished each day in case I'm ever asked about a delay in some project. But also it gives me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day to see what all I got done. Then, at the end of the week, I copy the whole list and rename the copy with the dates of next week and archive the current one. I delete all the done tasks from the individual days, move some stuff from "add to next week" to some individual days as I see fit, and repeat the whole process next week.
I am zealous about not accepting guilt (from myself) about moving things from today's list to tomorrow's, and from tomorrow's to next week's. The list is to help me stay organized-esque™, but I do not serve it. It is a tool to help me make sure that ideas and tasks don't fall off the face of the earth; it is not a micromanaging boss.
Huge caveat: my workload is often very self-directed, with occasional interruptions for the aforementioned fires I have to put out a few times a day. My boss is generally happy that I'm making progress on something, and keeping the fires to a low smolder.
Hope this helps someone!
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Comment on US election results (other than presidential) thread in ~society
doors_cannot_stop_me LinkIn Kentucky much of the election went as expected, but there were a couple of shining moments. We elected the first Black woman Kentucky Supreme Court Justice, and amendment 2 failed (it would...In Kentucky much of the election went as expected, but there were a couple of shining moments. We elected the first Black woman Kentucky Supreme Court Justice, and amendment 2 failed (it would have allowed the state to supply tax dollars to private schools). It's something.
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Comment on Learned a life-changing tip about human psychology - Any others? in ~talk
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentI'll be honest, I was applying this to a workplace scenario right up until "offer to hold hands," and then I realized the context after a bewildered moment. Good stuff!I'll be honest, I was applying this to a workplace scenario right up until "offer to hold hands," and then I realized the context after a bewildered moment. Good stuff!
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Comment on Problems of scale: How to get a better grasp on numbers? in ~talk
doors_cannot_stop_me LinkA million seconds is about a week and a half. A billion seconds is about 31 and a half years.A million seconds is about a week and a half. A billion seconds is about 31 and a half years.
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Comment on Eerie video essays in ~misc
doors_cannot_stop_me LinkI believe retroahoy did a good one on Polybius that I remember being in the same vibe category. Edit: It's this oneI believe retroahoy did a good one on Polybius that I remember being in the same vibe category.
Edit: It's this one
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Comment on Any other 3D Printers here? in ~hobbies
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentThanks for the heads up! I'll definitely consider both of your points as we figure out how to get this done.Thanks for the heads up! I'll definitely consider both of your points as we figure out how to get this done.
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Comment on Any other 3D Printers here? in ~hobbies
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentThat's awesome information, and yeah those sls printers are wildly expensive. Our end users are accustomed to fairly polished products, but if we can get the postprocessing labor to be fast enough...That's awesome information, and yeah those sls printers are wildly expensive. Our end users are accustomed to fairly polished products, but if we can get the postprocessing labor to be fast enough then it might not be too big of an issue to consider FDM. And the versatility that I understand to be available in the number of filament materials offered could be worth considering.
You've given me some food for thought. Thank you.
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Comment on Any other 3D Printers here? in ~hobbies
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentThanks for the info! It's in the prototype stage currently, where we are buying a current product and hollowing it out to repurpose for our design. We would like to produce several to sell to...Thanks for the info!
It's in the prototype stage currently, where we are buying a current product and hollowing it out to repurpose for our design. We would like to produce several to sell to clients, but on the order of dozens, not thousands. I figure that a resin printer might just work for our production needs while being affordable enough to be able to feasibly try. I just feared moving in that direction only to find that the prints would be unusable for some reason due to the nature of resin prints, whether because of fragility or some other unforseen issue.
Thanks again for the insight!
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Comment on Any other 3D Printers here? in ~hobbies
doors_cannot_stop_me LinkI don't 3d print yet, but I do have a question: are resin prints able to be sturdy enough to stand up to the kind of repeated use that PLA prints see at times? At my work we are attempting to...I don't 3d print yet, but I do have a question: are resin prints able to be sturdy enough to stand up to the kind of repeated use that PLA prints see at times?
At my work we are attempting to develop a small, handheld electronic device that needs to tolerate being carried in a pocket and fumbled around, but which also needs to not look like the typical 3d printed tool. Injection molding is, at this phase, out of reach due to cost. My boss has given me a budget to buy a 3d printer, but sanding and filling for hours will probably not work for us. Would a small resin print (say, a videogame controller) hold up to frequent use or be too brittle (or have some other problem I'm not aware of)?
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Comment on A tool to determine which US city you should live in in ~life
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentI believe it's mostly pollens, though I'll admit I am not finding it listed anymore as a top allergen area like I remember finding it in the past. But it is certainly in the geographic center of...I believe it's mostly pollens, though I'll admit I am not finding it listed anymore as a top allergen area like I remember finding it in the past. But it is certainly in the geographic center of the highest allergen cities based on maps I can find from AAFA.
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Comment on A tool to determine which US city you should live in in ~life
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentHey, Lexington isn't just cheap... There's also the award-winning high level of environmental allergens!Hey, Lexington isn't just cheap...
There's also the award-winning high level of environmental allergens! -
Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentIt sounds like you might be referring to the parcel hook, which was designed to carry twine-wrapped parcels. With the waning popularity of brown paper packages tied up with strings, these hooks...It sounds like you might be referring to the parcel hook, which was designed to carry twine-wrapped parcels. With the waning popularity of brown paper packages tied up with strings, these hooks are not often "favorite things."
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentA solution to this issue that I've adopted is a small, pocketable pouch with a set of small pliers (knipex), a small screwdriver and small scissors in it. These together are lighter than a multi...A solution to this issue that I've adopted is a small, pocketable pouch with a set of small pliers (knipex), a small screwdriver and small scissors in it. These together are lighter than a multi tool (if a bit less compact) and much nicer to use.
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Comment on What do you actually do at work? in ~life
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentFirst of all, thanks! Flattery will get you everywhere :) As for the security theater: yeah, kinda. The goal of a decent lock for the average residential user should be to make it annoying enough...First of all, thanks! Flattery will get you everywhere :)
As for the security theater: yeah, kinda. The goal of a decent lock for the average residential user should be to make it annoying enough to defeat quietly that the average criminal would rather break something than learn how to do it all sneaky-like. It won't keep someone out, but hopefully it will slow them down a bit and make it obvious that something went down. Note, however, that a little skill and money can open many common locks while leaving minimal trace, so don't neglect having an alarm or cameras or whatever other security measures are appropriate to the level of security you desire.
As for the digital locks: it varies. Many tech/app companies are trying to make locks with no institutional knowledge of lock making, and it shows. Several "locks" on the market can be defeated by magnets or screwdrivers from outside without leaving a trace. This is bad. I would opt for a digital lock from a company that has been making locks first, ideally for decades or more. Mine is a Yale (which has, to be fair, been bought several times as a brand over the years) touchscreen lock that works really well and seems secure enough to me. Certainly more secure than the window to which it is adjacent. My opinion is (in the US) to go for Yale, then Schlage, then Kwikset if you really need to save the money. But the Yale and Schlage options are better, and they make commercial hardware along the same lines so they tend to know what they're doing more than other brands.
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Comment on What do you actually do at work? in ~life
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentThank you for the kind words! I always felt a bit like a magician doing tricks (in a good way) when I was in the field, especially when the customers seemed extra amazed. Always made my day!Thank you for the kind words! I always felt a bit like a magician doing tricks (in a good way) when I was in the field, especially when the customers seemed extra amazed. Always made my day!
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Comment on What do you actually do at work? in ~life
doors_cannot_stop_me LinkI've spent the past 11 years as a locksmith. My daily work included unlocking locked stuff, getting stuff that wouldn't lock to lock properly, making keys using various machines and techniques,...I've spent the past 11 years as a locksmith. My daily work included unlocking locked stuff, getting stuff that wouldn't lock to lock properly, making keys using various machines and techniques, and installing new lock hardware. There is of course much more detail to offer, but in general I started each day with a calendar full of jobs to get to. At each one I would primarily be finding out what the customer actually needed/wanted, as most people don't have a much deeper knowledge of locks beyond "it's not working right anymore." Once I figured out the actual issue/desired outcome, I would work to resolve/accomplish it or help the customer understand the limits of the products involved to find a solution that was within their budget but satisfied their goals. A lot of the job was really just looking at mechanical puzzles and trying to figure out how they were supposed to work and why they weren't working at that moment. It was very satisfying work.
However, locksmithing also includes a lot of talking to impatient people who don't understand what it is you do but think they could do it better and cheaper than you can. They won't, of course. They just want you to do it cheaper, with "it" being a nebulous idea of "just make it work, it can't be that hard!" That part was frustrating, but it is a frustrating part of many people's jobs and often really can't be avoided much.
I've very recently made a bit of a fortuitous career change into instructing locksmiths that I am very excited about, but I don't yet know enough of the day-to-day work to offer a clear summary. But so far it has been quite a refreshing change of pace, with much of the work being focused on developing tools and editing presentations to update the curriculum and correct errors.
Before all of that I worked retail, running cash registers and stocking shelves and the like. I was pursuing a degree in linguistics at the time, and was quite certain that my future career was to be academic in nature. (A very helpful conversation with a linguistics professor convinced me to drop out of college, actually.)
Before I'd decided on linguistics, when I was about your age, I had teachers trying to convince me to pursue maths in college, but I preferred language studies and dreamed of copy editing.
Before that, as a child, I wanted to be an inventor.
Decades later, I'm working as an inventor and a copy editor for at least parts of my workday. Despite having no formal degree, I'm doing (in part) jobs I'd dreamed of but put no planning toward. I got lucky, sure, but I also was open to opportunities as they arose and it has paid off so far.
My point, like others in this comment section have said, is that plans are good to have for the purpose of driving you forward, but don't get too freaked out if it feels as if your life isn't conforming to them. There are many surprising paths to happiness or success or career fulfillment, and it is the extremely rare exception for a person to decide in their teens or earlier what they will do and then be correct about it. And yes, the decisions you make have long-reaching consequences. But the tricky thing is, you never know which decisions will have the greater consequences. My choice of college ended up not really mattering. Both times I chose a college, actually. But talking to that customer changed my career path, and talking to this client changed my educational goals, and going to that seminar got me the meeting that gave me a whole new career. You can't know which decisions are the turning points. You can just try your best and hope for the best while moving forward with open eyes and an open mind.
Good luck!
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Comment on Making another pickproof lock (but better) in ~engineering
doors_cannot_stop_me Link ParentNot to mention that locks are mortal objects. They eventually stop working, and there needs to be an end-of-life plan of attack. Even the stuff the US military uses to keep government secrets safe...Not to mention that locks are mortal objects. They eventually stop working, and there needs to be an end-of-life plan of attack. Even the stuff the US military uses to keep government secrets safe has relatively simple (if maybe loud and time-consuming) defeat methods that are specified as a matter of protocol. As in, if you want to build locks for the government, they want them to be openable even after failure.
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Comment on Upcoming (and past) concerts in ~music
doors_cannot_stop_me LinkI'm not a frequent concert-goer, but I'm going to see Relient K next weekend for the first time in 16 or 17 years. I'm curious what it will be like. I'm not at all who I was when I was last...I'm not a frequent concert-goer, but I'm going to see Relient K next weekend for the first time in 16 or 17 years. I'm curious what it will be like. I'm not at all who I was when I was last listening to them, but then again neither are they I suppose.
I became a locksmith right before joining Reddit, and I thought the name was funny. Now I'm not on Reddit anymore, and kinda not really a locksmith anymore either. But the name is as true as it ever was.