lackofaname's recent activity
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Comment on What are your favorite ways to measure your own health? in ~health
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Comment on Survey results on books that people identify as shaping their life/personality after reading them in high school in ~books
lackofaname LinkOne book that really jumps to mind is A Sand County Almanac. It's a bit chicken/egg, because I think I was gifted it after I enrolled in environmental sciences schooling. Nonetheless, Leopold...One book that really jumps to mind is A Sand County Almanac. It's a bit chicken/egg, because I think I was gifted it after I enrolled in environmental sciences schooling. Nonetheless, Leopold writes with a quiet reverence about seemingly small observations of his environment that I think has probably really influenced the way I view the (natural) world around me.
Another isn't fiction, the miracle of mindfulness. I read it in highschool on an adult's recommendation, and I continually find myself coming back to the lessons it holds.
I've read a lot of the books in the list and adored many, so that's not to say they haven't had an impact. Just either it's been too long or the impact too subtle to recall.
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Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life
lackofaname Link ParentAhh, I don't know why I didn't just say I'm a ux writer in my post. I got into it before that's what my job was called, also as a way to level up my more technical writing/editing freelancing...Ahh, I don't know why I didn't just say I'm a ux writer in my post. I got into it before that's what my job was called, also as a way to level up my more technical writing/editing freelancing after grammerly launched (as mediocre as it was originally, it felt like the sign of times to come). Technical writing is a really solid skillset to leverage into ux writing imo. Feel free to private msg me if you have questions!
As for the rest, I agree, networking/linkedin feel a little like necessary 'evils', and I've been entirely too complacent recently. I got my last job simply because i told every friend i spoke with that I was exploring new work, and one shared a posting.
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Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life
lackofaname Link ParentOh, you mean work for the enemy? Heehee, I kid, beyond the 'hr is the enemy' rhetoric online, I've seen firsthand that a good HR rep can be such a great support/wealth of info. Truthfully, it's an...Oh, you mean work for the enemy? Heehee, I kid, beyond the 'hr is the enemy' rhetoric online, I've seen firsthand that a good HR rep can be such a great support/wealth of info.
Truthfully, it's an avenue I've never even thought of before. And you're not wrong, I feel strongly about advocating for positive, supportive work environments. It could be something to learn more about at a minimum. Ty!
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Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life
lackofaname Link ParentEhh, good question. I feel it depends on the level of need, really. A few months unpaid, if I'm assuming a relatively low impact to even mid-term savings goals (eg, saving for foreseeable but not...Ehh, good question. I feel it depends on the level of need, really.
A few months unpaid, if I'm assuming a relatively low impact to even mid-term savings goals (eg, saving for foreseeable but not asap-emergency old-house repairs).
A year, possibly two, if I really had to restructure my savings/finances. For example, if I lost job/couldn't find work, or if I decided to redirect savings to pay for retraining if i felt that action were likely pay off down the line.
I've thought about the benefit of requesting an unpaid leave of a few months to see if I just need a recharge, but it wouldn't really be prudent until next year when my partner finishes their retraining in a new field.
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Comment on What's your current PC wallpaper? in ~tech
lackofaname Link ParentThere's something very 'classic' about space photos as desktop wallpapers. They just work so well.There's something very 'classic' about space photos as desktop wallpapers. They just work so well.
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Comment on What's your current PC wallpaper? in ~tech
lackofaname LinkA photograph of fireflies in a forest, specifically the first in the series after the text description. I prefer natury photos overall, and love how the patterns feel almost abstract if you don't...A photograph of fireflies in a forest, specifically the first in the series after the text description. I prefer natury photos overall, and love how the patterns feel almost abstract if you don't look closely.
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Comment on What's your current PC wallpaper? in ~tech
lackofaname Link ParentMy work laptop is currently black, too, because the typical branded wallpaper seems to have glitched away during some update. I'm taking it as a happy accident, and hoping it lasts. I find the...My work laptop is currently black, too, because the typical branded wallpaper seems to have glitched away during some update. I'm taking it as a happy accident, and hoping it lasts. I find the company colours a bit much (not that I stare at my desktop that often).
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
lackofaname Link ParentIf you haven't, give Incendies a go, too. That's the earliest I've seen and remember it being overall solid :)If you haven't, give Incendies a go, too. That's the earliest I've seen and remember it being overall solid :)
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Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life
lackofaname Link ParentThank you, this is very helpful and absolutely something I'm going to keep in mind :)Thank you, this is very helpful and absolutely something I'm going to keep in mind :)
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Comment on I asked Michelin chefs how they cook ramen in ~food
lackofaname LinkI always zuzz up my ramen with veggies and flavour enhancers. My easily adoptable takeaways from this video are: -egg yolk for thickness (and props to the first chef, use the white for egg drops)...I always zuzz up my ramen with veggies and flavour enhancers. My easily adoptable takeaways from this video are:
-egg yolk for thickness (and props to the first chef, use the white for egg drops)
-sautee the soup base for extra depth -
Comment on I wanna raise crickets for the sound in ~life.pets
lackofaname Link ParentAs someone who lived in an old farmhouse at one point: A chorus of crickets through an open window? Lovely, sweet summer. That one cricket that found its way into the bedroom closet at 9pm? FMLJust be careful not to let any escape their enclosure or your whole house will get infested.
As someone who lived in an old farmhouse at one point:
A chorus of crickets through an open window? Lovely, sweet summer.
That one cricket that found its way into the bedroom closet at 9pm? FML
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Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life
lackofaname Link ParentIt is a pretty good setup, but in part I'm a plan B kinda person, and live a bit far from the main job centre in my area for this type of work. If I were to find myself needing to be in person...It is a pretty good setup, but in part I'm a plan B kinda person, and live a bit far from the main job centre in my area for this type of work. If I were to find myself needing to be in person more often, I'd rather already have put some thought toward 'what else' (I could deal with the setup in the short term, but in the longterm Im not sure a closer relocation would be best for me or us).
In another part, the work output isn't really meaningful for me. I do find ways to inject meaning: be a good collaborator and mentor, build people up, advocate for accessibility and transparency of the product. I know, I know, work doesn't need to be meaningful. Meaning can be found off-hours and in hobbies. But I've come to realize I just don't have much energy to volunteer or join organizations after the energy sinks of work and life must-dos. So it'd be real nice to merge this into my work.. one day if not now.
You make a really good point about the 'little voice'. I've made a couple big life changes in the past couple years. The moment I start to settle, the little voice starts dreaming things up again. It can be difficult to navigate which of those things is true to who I want to be, and which is just the bored little evolutionary desire to hoard resources or whatever.
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Comment on There seems to be something going on with Sydney Sweeney and the media covering her films in ~movies
lackofaname LinkLove a good, low-stakes conspiracy theory, and it seems logical enough. It's funny to think about how any given person 'makes it'. Not considering nepo-babies, there's presumably some combo of...Love a good, low-stakes conspiracy theory, and it seems logical enough.
It's funny to think about how any given person 'makes it'. Not considering nepo-babies, there's presumably some combo of (luck), hussle, charisma/je-ne-sais-quoi, and talent. But what other machinations go on within the industry that promote one prospectice star over another? (A question that, uhg, hopefully no longer has weinstein-esque answers)
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Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life
lackofaname (edited )Link ParentOh interesting, may I ask what sort of work 'comms in higher ed' can entail? Teaching, or more 'behind the scenes' roles? If I could land it, a university gig could be a bridge to cheaper...Oh interesting, may I ask what sort of work 'comms in higher ed' can entail? Teaching, or more 'behind the scenes' roles? If I could land it, a university gig could be a bridge to cheaper retraining, if that's an avenue I go want to pursue.
(Pardon my ignorance, I never studied anything remotely comms related, just learned my craft along the way/from other professionals)
Ps - wish you all the luck in getting into urban planning quickly. It's a very cool field, and I feel many Canadian communities could put more stock into smart urban planning!
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Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life
lackofaname Link ParentHmm, my partner was able to do career counselling through work benefits, which included a number of personality/aptitude-type tests. This could be something for me to look into, though my...Hmm, my partner was able to do career counselling through work benefits, which included a number of personality/aptitude-type tests. This could be something for me to look into, though my impression of the results and work he did was more high level than revealing the various types of niche jobs that may exist.
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Comment on Question about Marginalia Search in ~tech
lackofaname Link ParentYea, I think that's a clearer way of saying what I was thinking! Agreed on the table-type layouts, the nostalgia-hits I mentioned were of that era/style :)Yea, I think that's a clearer way of saying what I was thinking! Agreed on the table-type layouts, the nostalgia-hits I mentioned were of that era/style :)
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Thinking about my next (career) move
Here I am, late-30s languishing on a grey Sunday afternoon. After finishing my first real week-long vacation in 4ish years without even side-hussling, a thought is growing: I don't really want to...
Here I am, late-30s languishing on a grey Sunday afternoon. After finishing my first real week-long vacation in 4ish years without even side-hussling, a thought is growing: I don't really want to go back, what's next?
I've browsed topics discussing career changes/pivots when the OP has a desired endpoint, but I could use help brainstorming one step earlier: how to figure out what jobs/career move I might like, might be feasible/pragmatic for me, and even just exist?
Meandering background
if tl/dr, skip to questions below
My current job (ux/comms) is objectively decent for pay, coworkers, work/life balance. So, not in a rush to jump ship. [Edit: removed some details about myself]Questions
- Any overall life advice or thoughts on that 'something new' itch? Maybe I shouldn't equate it with my career alone?
- Do you have general guidance/anecdotes on how to meaningfully explore job/career desires or options?
- Do you know of niche job opportunities/fields that might tie into skills in various combinations of ux, communication, biology, environmental sciences, possibly healthcare? Or, how to find them? Especially in the Canadian job market context?
Housekeeping: feel free to change group/tags if appropriate. This is also a lot more than I typically share online, I may remove some personal details later.
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Comment on Question about Marginalia Search in ~tech
lackofaname Link ParentAre you looking for actually old websites, or modern retro-style? The most 'out there' pages I stumbled on tended to be from the past few years. Actual old (90s/early 00s) sites I found tended to...Are you looking for actually old websites, or modern retro-style? The most 'out there' pages I stumbled on tended to be from the past few years. Actual old (90s/early 00s) sites I found tended to feel very of their time and nostalgic but subdued.
For the latter, you may have luck searching for generic but period-specific terms, and even simply adding a year.
'zine' got a few hits (though a good number of modern sites) of old sites with colour schemes, fonts, images, and layouts that hit my nostalgia button. Adding in a random year (eg, '1999') helped, and dredged up some pages dated as last updated in the 90s.
'Guestbook' + a year gets lots of hits, but the pages are pretty boring.
There are probably other web terms that could work, my memory is escaping me, though. Maybe someone else will have ideas.
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Comment on Thoughts on wallpaper? in ~life.home_improvement
lackofaname Link ParentThank you for the detailed explanation, I'm not from the US, so haven't heard of this before. I hope you enjoy the many more fun projects on your (soon to be) new home!Thank you for the detailed explanation, I'm not from the US, so haven't heard of this before.
I hope you enjoy the many more fun projects on your (soon to be) new home!
Although I studied (not evolutionary) biology, I think 'fittest' can easily be misunderstood by the average non-biologist native English speaker. The everyday use of 'fittest' does generally assume (physical) fitness. Also, I have vague recollections that during intro-level biology classes, the 'real' meaning for evolution had to be drilled into students to prevent the misconception.
I speak no Swedish, but for the back-translation 'strongest', I can see how it carries borh a similar enough meaning and similar misunderstanding, as the English fittest. In that the typical meaning recalls (physical) strength, musculature, etc., or mental fortitude. But, strong also has the meaning of being relatively better at something (eg, she has strong language skills), which hits closer to the evolutionary meaning. - Out of curiosity, is this latter meaning of 'strong' used in Swedish?