frowns's recent activity
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Comment on Slate Auto to offer modular EV pickup for $20k with EV Tax Credit in ~transport
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Comment on Are there any good online CS degrees? Is it advisable to enroll into an online CS degree? in ~comp
frowns LinkI did an undergrad at WGU that helped me pivot from a $19 USD/hr job (HCoL area, so that was a dollar or two over minimum wage at the time) with zero upward mobility to a job that started at $35...I did an undergrad at WGU that helped me pivot from a $19 USD/hr job (HCoL area, so that was a dollar or two over minimum wage at the time) with zero upward mobility to a job that started at $35 USD/hr and has promoted me 4 times in three years.
To me, that degree (and the certs that I earned along the way, which are built into the degree plan as the ‘exam’ for many classes) was the single thing that got me a callback for that job. I had the knowledge and capacity to do that job all along, but I couldn’t prove it without that piece of paper.
One of my benefits in this job is tuition assistance, so I decided to go back to WGU for a masters degree too. That is truly just a meaningless piece of paper to me, so I can also agree to a certain extent with those above saying that self study might be more worth it. Really depends why you want the degree — is it just a challenge, or are you hoping to change careers and really need a diploma to get a foot in the door?
Also, it can be harder than you’d think to self-regulate studying. I love the challenge of it so that spurred me on most of the time, but there were some classes that were a total slog to get through.
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Comment on What's your favorite music album to get high to? in ~music
frowns LinkI’m a little surprised that Dopesmoker by Sleep hasn’t shown up here yet. To me that was the quintessential doobin’ music back in college. A 63-minute long dirge about a hashish-fueled pilgrimage...I’m a little surprised that Dopesmoker by Sleep hasn’t shown up here yet. To me that was the quintessential doobin’ music back in college. A 63-minute long dirge about a hashish-fueled pilgrimage by the Weedians to the holy land may not toot everyone’s horn, but it sure does work for me.
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Comment on What's your favorite music album to get high to? in ~music
frowns Link ParentI would have never thought to partake with The Mollusk (or any Ween for that matter) but that sounds like a hoot. WHOOOOOACEAN MANI would have never thought to partake with The Mollusk (or any Ween for that matter) but that sounds like a hoot.
WHOOOOOACEAN MAN
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Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
frowns Link ParentIt’s so awful. I’m so glad I was able to pivot ever so slightly from frontline support to a non-customer-facing support role. The exact situations you’ve described were a daily occurrence and it...It’s so awful. I’m so glad I was able to pivot ever so slightly from frontline support to a non-customer-facing support role. The exact situations you’ve described were a daily occurrence and it was honestly killing me. Can’t tell you how many times I fully typed out “so you’re saying in writing with your manager CC’d that you think it would be a good idea for me, a random TS engineer that you’ve never met, to be able to arbitrarily set your password for you? *ctrl+a delete* *paste polite template*”
I’m so sorry you’re stuck with it for now.
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Comment on Dropout TV price change announced - FAQ linked in ~tv
frowns Link ParentVIP was my gateway for sure. LOVE Vic Michaelis — they’re a frequent guest on the improv podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! and they’ve never once done a character that flopped. I’d also recommend the VIP...VIP was my gateway for sure. LOVE Vic Michaelis — they’re a frequent guest on the improv podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! and they’ve never once done a character that flopped. I’d also recommend the VIP episode with Lisa Gilroy playing Vic’s ex step grandmother. I could barely breathe.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (April 2025) in ~health.mental
frowns LinkI feel dumb even saying it in the context of some of the other threads here, but I’m an emotional wreck this week for a very simple reason: my work schedule this week involves me leading an...I feel dumb even saying it in the context of some of the other threads here, but I’m an emotional wreck this week for a very simple reason: my work schedule this week involves me leading an overseas training from 4-8am my time. The mental and physical exhaustion that comes with needing to wake up at 3:15 and then be “on” at 4am has got me really crossed up. I’m so fussy and cranky about everything, and have to resist the overwhelming urge to nap because I don’t want to further screw up my already-screwed-up sleep schedule for this week. I’ve literally caught myself acting out like a fussy kid. I’m eating like shit and drinking way too much coffee so my tum’s a mess too. Ugh.
I’m really sorry to see what’s happening to others here, and for what little it may be worth, my heart goes out to all of you that are having a tough time. If there’s anything a random internet stranger can do to help, please let me know. ❤️
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Comment on What keeps you up at night? in ~talk
frowns Link ParentAgreed 100%. I’ll say this: the one thing I hated hearing most when I was 21 and feeling very much the same way as Fal was “you’re still young, don’t worry about it so much yet”. In hindsight, I...Agreed 100%.
I’ll say this: the one thing I hated hearing most when I was 21 and feeling very much the same way as Fal was “you’re still young, don’t worry about it so much yet”. In hindsight, I wish I would have listened to those voices more.
I’m 36 now. I’m still young. Everything changed in my life in a way that I could have never predicted in my 20s. I met a wonderful partner who scaffolded our life while I made a potentially risky career pivot that ended up being a really positive change. We’ve been married for close to a decade now and continue to thrive together.
I’m happier and more satisfied now than I was in my 20s by a long shot, in ways and for reasons I could have never begun to imagine.
Hang in there, @Fal. I’m sure we’ll all be better off for your contributions to the world when the time is right!
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
frowns Link ParentWe got a smoker last summer and have been doing a lot of smoked whole chickens. I do this with the remainders every time, and I gotta say the broth from smoked chicken is extraordinary. Another...We got a smoker last summer and have been doing a lot of smoked whole chickens. I do this with the remainders every time, and I gotta say the broth from smoked chicken is extraordinary.
Another fun variant for people who like Mexican flavors: follow same steps up to the “add noodles” part, but instead add some ground cumin, oregano, and chipotles in adobo (or just the adobo) to taste. Throw in some hominy, and then let it simmer for a while to let the hominy absorb the chicken flavor and the broth absorb some of the hominy flavor. Bam, you’ve got some not-so-authentic-but-still-delicious chicken posole. Serve with a big pile of fresh shredded cabbage, salsa, onions, radishes, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and dash of oregano on top. It’s so good on a cold, rainy day.
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Comment on Solo outings in ~life.men
frowns LinkI was in a similar boat for a while — I don’t really have anyone in my circles with similar musical taste, and the shows I want to go to are not typically pleasant for people that I could drag...I was in a similar boat for a while — I don’t really have anyone in my circles with similar musical taste, and the shows I want to go to are not typically pleasant for people that I could drag along (my partner is a great sport, but going to a loud metal concert on a weeknight?). I felt uncomfortable going to shows and would beg my partner to join me just for emotional support. I just gave up and started going alone instead, and I’ve found that I actually really don’t mind going to shows alone. It’s fun to have a friend join me if someone is interested, but it’s also nice to not have to be concerned with someone else’s comfort/enjoyment/engagement levels. You can stay as long as you want, you can make a flash decision to rush the pit without feeling like you’re leaving someone alone, you can navigate the crowds much easier as an individual, etc..
As others have mentioned, there is a kind of awkward bit at the beginning when people are chatting pre-show, but once the music starts it’s all good. Just show up a few minutes later than usual and it’s no biggie.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
frowns LinkHaving a bit of a gap in new music so I’m coming back to my classics. A mix of metal (stoner metal? noise rock? Idk how to describe this sub-genre) and thrash/powerviolence. Druids, Sandrider,...Having a bit of a gap in new music so I’m coming back to my classics.
A mix of metal (stoner metal? noise rock? Idk how to describe this sub-genre) and thrash/powerviolence. Druids, Sandrider, Helms Alee, Red Fang, and Baptists for column A, and Power Trip, Demolition Hammer, ACxDC, and Municipal Waste for column B.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
frowns Link ParentOoooooo forgot about Bolt Thrower! Thanks for the reminder :)Ooooooo forgot about Bolt Thrower! Thanks for the reminder :)
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Comment on Growing a beard. Tips and tricks, please! in ~life.style
frowns LinkNot much new to add to the conversation other than beard oil is very customizable. Bulk almond or jojoba oil + essential oils = your own custom scent. I’m currently rockin’ a blend of mostly...Not much new to add to the conversation other than beard oil is very customizable. Bulk almond or jojoba oil + essential oils = your own custom scent. I’m currently rockin’ a blend of mostly sandalwood and vanilla, plus a drop or two each of vetiver, frankincense, and cedar oils. Smells just as good at a fraction of the price, plus you can tinker with your scent which I think is super fun.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
frowns Link ParentI’m sure you’re both aware, but there are tons of CC0-licensed free assets on itch.io. If artistic direction or learning the process of creating the assets aren’t in scope for you at the moment,...I’m sure you’re both aware, but there are tons of CC0-licensed free assets on itch.io. If artistic direction or learning the process of creating the assets aren’t in scope for you at the moment, snagging an asset pack might help to reduce that friction, or at least defer it long enough that you can keep working and not get discouraged. I’d imagine it would also be a good way to “shop” for an artist you might want to commission bespoke assets from down the road.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
frowns Link ParentYep I hear you, adding a language to the laundry list of stuff to learn is no small task. I don’t do much more than basic scripting in my daily life so I’m going to be learning the language no...Yep I hear you, adding a language to the laundry list of stuff to learn is no small task.
I don’t do much more than basic scripting in my daily life so I’m going to be learning the language no matter what engine I use. So far GDScript just feels like Python and hasn’t really gotten in my way much yet. YMMV though!
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
frowns Link ParentHey me too! I took Thursday and Friday off this week and finally decided to get started. I’ve wanted to try game dev for a long time but similarly, I have been so overwhelmed by, well, it. There...Hey me too! I took Thursday and Friday off this week and finally decided to get started.
I’ve wanted to try game dev for a long time but similarly, I have been so overwhelmed by, well, it. There are so many tutorials (and half of them are just over-monetized “like and subscribe” bait), should I try 2d or 3d, which of the ten half-baked game concepts in my head do I want to take a crack at, etc.. Basically the only thing I was sure of was that I wanted to work with Godot. I’ve wanted to work on this all year but I’ve had such bad analysis paralysis that I never got much past installing Godot.
I basically spent my whole day Thursday watching hours of entry-level tutorials on Godot, both 2d and 3d with various types of games. I don’t know that I retained very much of it, but it did get me more fired up to try some stuff. I started to do the same on Friday and the first tutorial I watched covered modeling, rigging, animating a 3rd person player character in Blender and then adding it to Godot. It didn’t seem as scary as I figured, so halfway through I started it over and followed along. By the end of the day I had a low-poly 3d dude that could run around on a big square plane with an idle animation that blended into a run animation on move. It’s nothing compared to the scale of even a small video game, but it was a big achievement for me.
I decided to push myself and try to apply what I had learned, so I created a jump animation and code and figured out how to override the run animation with the jump one when appropriate. Felt like a massive win for me.
I can’t draw to save my life, but it turns out 3d modeling makes some sense to me, so I guess that’s one question answered! I’m sure I’ll be singing a different tune as scale and complexity increases, but that’s a tomorrow problem 😂
Cheers to us taking the plunge! Hope you’re having fun with it and here’s hoping we can both stick with it and make something great!
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Comment on Looking for some advice on a cat food dispenser in ~life.pets
frowns LinkI don’t have real advice, but I’d make sure your cat is cool with things vibrating, perhaps noisily, before you go through the trouble of building out a Pi-based solution. For example: my cat...I don’t have real advice, but I’d make sure your cat is cool with things vibrating, perhaps noisily, before you go through the trouble of building out a Pi-based solution.
For example:
- my cat would rage slap it off the table and into the sun if it went off while he was eating
- my mom’s cat would rather die of starvation under the bed than try to get another bite out of it if it went off while he was eating
- my friend’s cat is so deaf and blind he probably wouldn’t even notice
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Comment on What are your Christmas movies? in ~movies
frowns Link ParentWe’ve been saving it for Christmas morning and I can’t wait!We’ve been saving it for Christmas morning and I can’t wait!
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Comment on I think I have a broken AT&T route? in ~tech
frowns Link ParentI figured you’d be on it, but as with the comment about DNS, is always seems to be the littlest issues that take me the longest to figure out :)I figured you’d be on it, but as with the comment about DNS, is always seems to be the littlest issues that take me the longest to figure out :)
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Comment on What are your favorite special kitchen ingredients? in ~food
frowns LinkMost of my special ingredients are covered here, but I haven’t seen masa harina mentioned and that has become a must have in our pantry. So versatile and so cheap. 1:1 with water = corn tortilla...Most of my special ingredients are covered here, but I haven’t seen masa harina mentioned and that has become a must have in our pantry. So versatile and so cheap.
1:1 with water = corn tortilla dough. Add a little fat to it and you’ve got dough for tamales, or add some cornmeal to make arepas. Chochoyotes are fun replacement for dumplings in chicken soup. It also makes a good thickening agent for chilis and adds a little bit of that nixtamalised corn sweetness.
Also, we’ve always got some andouille sausage in the freezer. After a shitty day, some andouille on cheesy grits or a big pot of red beans and rice takes very little effort but is so comforting.
Man if we hadn’t just purchased a Bolt last year I would be all in on this. Hell, I’d probably even be interested if it was ICE/hybrid — nobody makes small trucks anymore and it’s all I’ve ever wanted.
Also really love that they don’t put their own display in and just have mounts for BYO device. It’s just as effective if we’re being honest with ourselves. I’m honestly worried to see what the future brings for my Bolt’s infotainment system, especially when there are inevitably “advances” or “new features” in e.g. CarPlay that tank system performance on anything not made within the last 3-5 years.