soks_n_sandals's recent activity
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Comment on AirPods or not? in ~music
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Comment on Why rich people don’t cover their windows – An unexpected status symbol has become a fixture of high-end homes in ~life
soks_n_sandals Link ParentI’ll throw an unsolicited theory in. For a while now, I have mused that rich folks leave their blinds/curtains open because they have more than one room they can exist in. This is in contrast to...I’ll throw an unsolicited theory in. For a while now, I have mused that rich folks leave their blinds/curtains open because they have more than one room they can exist in. This is in contrast to the studio and small one bedrooms rented by my friends and peers in a very HCOL city. When you see a house here with multiple floors of rooms with windows, it feels blatant that at least one floor has the curtains open.
But, it also makes for a great opportunity to sing a little jingle that goes, 🎵“I can see yo shiiIt”🎵 anytime we walk past a place with the blinds open.
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Comment on Looking for interesting or unconventional wedding ring jewelers/designers in ~design
soks_n_sandals LinkIf I were to get another wedding band, I would earnestly consider a Damascus steel band with a gold inlay like this one from a jeweler in the US. I have a gold band now, and while it took a few...If I were to get another wedding band, I would earnestly consider a Damascus steel band with a gold inlay like this one from a jeweler in the US. I have a gold band now, and while it took a few weeks to become comfortable wearing it, I hardly take it off now.
I also thought about non-traditional bands before my wedding, but felt like most men’s bands were not really my style. They seemed like over-the-top caricatures. I like the aesthetics of the jeweler you linked, but would also not wear most of those day-to-day.
I really appreciate the more understated looks of something like this hammered finish white gold or this rose gold and black, or a wood inlay that doesn’t have the glassy epoxy finish I often see. They read like wedding bands, but in the more formal sense with the sensibilities of a traditional jeweler as opposed to a less refined look.
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Comment on How Universal burned a swath through the heartland and south, “sold fun” and propelled ‘Twisters’ to $80m+ opening in ~movies
soks_n_sandals LinkThe press definitely worked on me! I am almost never convinced to see a movie in theaters from press alone (aside from the Barbenheimer summer), but the buzz around Twisters got me in the door....The press definitely worked on me! I am almost never convinced to see a movie in theaters from press alone (aside from the Barbenheimer summer), but the buzz around Twisters got me in the door. Hell, I didn’t even know there was a movie when I saw the soundtrack promotion from the musicians I already follow.
[No spoilers]
No regrets in seeing the film, though. Perfectly campy, great pacing, honestly impressive camera sequences and realistic-looking weather effects all made for good entertainment. I found there was the just the right dose of everything. There was a little humor, a subtle commentary on climate change and severe weather, a nice bit of science, an engaging and complex female lead, and some solid character development from the rest of the cast. I went to see it ironically and left really liking it Unironically.
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Comment on Thinking of getting into emacs, any advice? in ~comp
soks_n_sandals Link ParentNot OP but I’ve been using Typora for writing in Markdown. It’s a visual markdown editor but I have like its workflow and features more that writing Markdown in VS Code.Not OP but I’ve been using Typora for writing in Markdown. It’s a visual markdown editor but I have like its workflow and features more that writing Markdown in VS Code.
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Comment on Why tackling accent bias matters at work in ~humanities.languages
soks_n_sandals Link ParentFor those than come along and want further reading that solidifies the prejudices conferred alongside a Southern accent, there’s no shortage of writing from publications like The Bitter Southerner...- Exemplary
For those than come along and want further reading that solidifies the prejudices conferred alongside a Southern accent, there’s no shortage of writing from publications like The Bitter Southerner and Salvation South about accent and its implications. See:
With DrawlSouthern Accents and That Nashville Sound
I can personally say I was never more aware of my accent than when I moved to the north. I really questioned whether I actually sound like that. Then I quickly learned a different delivery to make my origins less obvious, mainly so in a professional setting I could minimize any preconceived notions.
Truthfully, when making first introductions, “You don’t sound like you’re from Louisiana” and “Where’s your accent, then?” are two questions that make me bristle like no other. I’m sure the inquirer has given virtually no thought to what they expect the answer to be. They probably don’t want to hear “The bias and shame I thought you’d bestow upon me has led me to suppress it.” Or, “my accent isn’t that strong anyway, and most any southerner could tell you that living in the south doesn’t mean you have an accent.” Or, perhaps the most honest, “I don’t know you, and that part of me is not for you.” Lifting a nice quote from a Salvation South post, I am currently going with “an accent can betray the wrong information.”
This weekend was the first time I’ve met someone outside of the south who asked me immediately “where’s that accent from?” They were from the Carolinas, and somehow clocked it immediately. It was a nice reassurance that, when I’m comfortable, that part of me still comes out.
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Comment on Recommendations for less mass-produced and more artistic tv in ~tv
soks_n_sandals LinkThere was a show on Netflix called Living With Yourself with Paul Rudd that was fabulous and offbeat. I also really loved The Get Down, which is a limited fiction series about the early days of...There was a show on Netflix called Living With Yourself with Paul Rudd that was fabulous and offbeat. I also really loved The Get Down, which is a limited fiction series about the early days of hip hop in New York. Great story there.
I really enjoyed the show Shrinking on Apple TV. Also currently enjoying Lessons in Chemistry on the same platform, and caught a bit of The Big Cigar but waiting for the rest of the shows.
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Comment on Upcoming (and past) concerts in ~music
soks_n_sandals LinkBeen knocking off some favorites lately! Chris Stapleton, Marcus King, and Nicki Lane Lee Fields, the Monophonics Upcoming: Charley Crockett Kendra Morris Gemma Laurence The one I’m most excited...Been knocking off some favorites lately!
- Chris Stapleton, Marcus King, and Nicki Lane
- Lee Fields, the Monophonics
Upcoming:
- Charley Crockett
- Kendra Morris
- Gemma Laurence
The one I’m most excited for is Kacey Musgraves in November! Far away but I’m counting down the days.
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Comment on Bro summer waits for us all in ~life
soks_n_sandals Link ParentThe first time I really observed bro-hood was with my brother-in-law during college. My then-girlfriend, her brother, and I all went to the same school at the same time. He and his best friends...The first time I really observed bro-hood was with my brother-in-law during college. My then-girlfriend, her brother, and I all went to the same school at the same time. He and his best friends from childhood all shared an apartment, played League of Legends together from their individual bedrooms, all hit the gym together, and hung out constantly. They went to the dining halls together, then cooked together, did homework and projects together.
When we asked my wife's brother whether he was looking to date or find a girlfriend, the answer was a resounding "No" because he had his bros. It was so wholesome and I think about it often. They're all dating and living in different cities now, but still make a point to hang out when possible. It is really something special.
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Comment on Bro summer waits for us all in ~life
soks_n_sandals LinkJust for fun - a lighthearted encouragement to embody the bro spirit of just having fun, enthusiastically being yourself, and lifting up your friends this summer.Just for fun - a lighthearted encouragement to embody the bro spirit of just having fun, enthusiastically being yourself, and lifting up your friends this summer.
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Bro summer waits for us all
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Comment on The new ‘white fortress’ cities of the American South in ~society
soks_n_sandals Link ParentYeah, I mean, not in Louisiana. I think all that stuff is the ideal for a community-minded, democratic tax-paying society. But I'm speaking from experience here about Louisiana. Public services...Yeah, I mean, not in Louisiana. I think all that stuff is the ideal for a community-minded, democratic tax-paying society. But I'm speaking from experience here about Louisiana. Public services are horribly mismanaged, so it's way more advantageous to be rich and try to pay as little tax as possible to funnel your money as you choose. Schools in Louisiana at large aren't very good. In fact, the state's voucher program is accelerating the decline. Infrastructure is crumbling. Public criminal defense is woefully under-resourced and the state police are so corrupt it's just disgusting. The state basically does the opposite of environmental protection. But, if you're wealthy you can send your kids to private schools, might get that case dropped, pay for a generator when the power goes out, and get richer on the exploitation of natural resources.
I'm not saying the folks who chose to incorporate are right. The race and class subtext is obvious. But for wanting to get more out of their tax dollars, I think it's hard to completely argue against them. However, the reality is the decision can't be separated for decades of environmental racism and regular racism in the city. My wife's dad (doesn't live in BR and) always likes to say "I'm not overtaxed, I'm underserved." I'm not sure incorporating as a township will fix this issue for the long term, but we'll see.
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Comment on Electric cars are suddenly becoming affordable in ~transport
soks_n_sandals Link ParentIt is indeed quite a ways. It was Pennsylvania to Louisiana, but now it's Virginia/Maryland to Louisiana. Living in a major city has actually caused the opposite. I try to avoid driving in the...It is indeed quite a ways. It was Pennsylvania to Louisiana, but now it's Virginia/Maryland to Louisiana.
Living in a major city has actually caused the opposite. I try to avoid driving in the city as much as possible. These days, my limit on a trek for just music/shopping/food would be an hour or so and it's rare. If we're driving a few hours in the area it's usually for work, though occasionally for leisure as well, but almost always for something more substantial.
Since we make the drive in a day, gas is usually about $150 one way (so $300-$350 round trip). Flights, especially around Christmas, would be at least that per person. And a good flight price would typically mean flying into a city 1-2 hours away and needing someone to pick us up. Now, if we have to get a hotel it is suddenly a different story. That can easily bring the time and expense into the realm of flying instead.
I think the positive feelings about driving mostly center around it meaning not getting on a plane. Our car is quite spacious and much more comfortable than a plane. So making the drive is not that bad. I find these long-haul drives really meditative and stimulating. It's something I've discovered I have a knack for. Just sitting there, focused, eyes on the road, locked in for hours on end is surprisingly pleasant. And, my wife and I do get tons of time to talk and reflect. Usually about life, our relationship, reactions to podcasts and news or something else. There are very few people in the world I would willingly bring on an 18 hour road trip, but we have a really nice time together.
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Comment on Opinion - The Washington Post is about to embrace the darkness in ~news
soks_n_sandals LinkThis is surprising news but for the wrong reasons. The Post is losing serious money. The kind of money that would look like a death spiral at any other company. Layoffs and buyouts have killed...This is surprising news but for the wrong reasons. The Post is losing serious money. The kind of money that would look like a death spiral at any other company. Layoffs and buyouts have killed morale. More nimble, innovative newsrooms are picking up employees whose unwavering fidelity faltered when they were faced with prospects of their teams being all but eliminated. Local reporting for DC, Maryland, and Virginia has slipped considerably. Their special-interest outfits reporting on topics like video gaming and culture were shuttered. They closed The Lily, which was a shock.
I'm in lockstep with the author of this piece for their impression that WaPo is the least dis-likeable legacy paper. I much prefer them to NYT. However, NYT has been effective at garner subscription revenue through Wirecutter, NYT Cooking, and they've focused efforts on their all-audio news app. The Post is... not doing that.
I don't gather that internal sentiment maintained a particularly deep conviction for Sally Buzbee, but replacing her with a couple of conservative jokers doesn't seem like the move. Management clearly still lacks a vision for what makes a profitable, engaging newsroom in the modern day. The advertising + Facebook play didn't work - the clicks and money dried up. So now what? Evidently, they still don't know.
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Comment on Electric cars are suddenly becoming affordable in ~transport
soks_n_sandals Link ParentNot the person you’re replying to, but we make similar stops. It’s just my wife and I. When we run our 1,200 mile trips, we leave around 4:30 AM. We break it into five segments, so 4 rest stops....Not the person you’re replying to, but we make similar stops. It’s just my wife and I. When we run our 1,200 mile trips, we leave around 4:30 AM. We break it into five segments, so 4 rest stops. We stop around every 230-270 miles depending on where we are, typically trying to drive around 3h30mins for each segment. We wait until 1h from stopping and then we both chug a bunch of water. At each rest stop, I’ll fill the car with gas and stretch while my wife goes in to use the restroom and sometimes grab a snack or a fun beverage. Then I’ll go in to use the restroom after fueling and we hit the road right after I’m back to the car. Usually takes about 10-15 minutes, which can be made up by going a bit above the speed limit at 72-74mph. Typically it’s an 18 hour drive total. I love to drive, so sometimes my wife will take one shift but usually I just drive the whole day while she handles navigation, food, etc. we don’t stop for meals since we just keep them with us.
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Comment on Electric cars are suddenly becoming affordable in ~transport
soks_n_sandals Link ParentYeah that point is well taken. I feel we bought the car for the time in our life we were in. During COVID we did the drive 3-4 times each year for several years. Certainly fewer now. But, alas....Yeah that point is well taken. I feel we bought the car for the time in our life we were in. During COVID we did the drive 3-4 times each year for several years. Certainly fewer now. But, alas. The vehicle is nearly paid off and I’m not in a rush to buy another. Though I would certainly consider something a bit smaller and more efficient if we needed to become a 2-car household.
Renting a similar, but smaller car, for these long drives over the 1-month duration we need a car is something north of $2k based on the Avis website right now. So add that onto the other frustrating points of car rentals and I think I’d be adjusting my trip.
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Comment on Don’t fix it just because it’s technical debt in ~tech
soks_n_sandals Link ParentIt’s funny isn’t it? The place I work is basically all legacy code. Decades of debt that has to be paid down to make progress on a feature. Sometimes it makes re-architecting the program nigh but...It’s funny isn’t it? The place I work is basically all legacy code. Decades of debt that has to be paid down to make progress on a feature. Sometimes it makes re-architecting the program nigh but impossible. And we have developers who have been working, learning for 5-6 years and are extremely conscientious. They’re more than willing to pay down that debt to fix bugs, implement improvements, or build a feature.
Yet - it all comes back to management. Poor management means we’re losing the folks we’ve been training for years. And over what? Small title changes? Small pay adjustments? This seemed obvious when I started, but management just doesn’t see it. I’m not sure how many people need to leave before they do.
Cheers to you hitting the exit door and moving on to greener pastures.
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Comment on Electric cars are suddenly becoming affordable in ~transport
soks_n_sandals Link ParentI’m interested in this assertion because I am not willing to take more than one brief break for a 500 mile road trip. Seven to ten minutes is about the minimum to get gas a make a stop for the...People complain about long charging times for EVs, but I really can't imagine that you wouldn't be willing to take a few 20 or 30-minute breaks on a 500 mile road trip.
I’m interested in this assertion because I am not willing to take more than one brief break for a 500 mile road trip. Seven to ten minutes is about the minimum to get gas a make a stop for the restroom, but 20-30 minutes is really pushing it for a single stop. Turn that into a few stops? That really just doesn’t interest me. At least once a year I do a 1,200 mile trip. It’s a good trek, 18 hours without complications. But unfortunately I still need a vehicle that can do that with just a few 10 minute stops.
I get about 440-460 miles of range on a tank of gas, which is right at my limit for a single run with no stops (~6 hours). So I am inclined to agree that 400+ miles is a lot of range, but if every stop on a road trip was going to be 30 minutes I’d be losing my mind. Maybe I’m an oddity in this and other drivers prefer more frequent and lengthy stops?
I think it’s a non-issue if I had the luxury of being a two-car household. An EV in a car-centric area taking short and medium distance trips is a great option.
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Comment on I just switched to an iPhone, what should I do to make the most of this change? in ~tech
soks_n_sandals Link ParentIf you’re seriously considering an Apple Watch, I’d also highly encourage you to look at the Garmin Venu 3. It’s their newer smartwatch-oriented offering. I just did a lot of researching...If you’re seriously considering an Apple Watch, I’d also highly encourage you to look at the Garmin Venu 3. It’s their newer smartwatch-oriented offering. I just did a lot of researching smartwatches from both camps, and ultimately prioritized the health/fitness tracking over notifications and integration. The Garmin does get notifications, (on android you can actually text back, on iPhone it's just the notification), and has a button for siri, and integrates directly into Apple Health. But, the battery life is like 6-9 days. I realized I'd lose my mind charging a watch every day. It's been useful enough to keep me from checking my phone for a notification then getting shucked in, since I just check my watch (but the phone needs to be roughly nearby). Using siri works fairly well, and I can just set timers on the watch instead of my phone. And, there's a lot of overlap between the feature sets. I think Apple has an uneven heartbeat detection algorithm that Garmin doesn't, but garmin has pulse ox, temperature/cycle tracking, sleep tracking, and an ECG app. I'm also a big fan of Garmin's little "morning report" on how I slept and the weather. Really great to get that summary without needing to check my phone.
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Comment on I just switched to an iPhone, what should I do to make the most of this change? in ~tech
soks_n_sandals Link ParentInteresting to hear the measurements were off by that much. They have typically been within 1-2% for me, at least for length. I think the angles are probably less sensitive. Regarding reminders,...Interesting to hear the measurements were off by that much. They have typically been within 1-2% for me, at least for length. I think the angles are probably less sensitive.
Regarding reminders, they can be for something like “remind me when I get to Alice’s house to get her coffee mug from the back seat.” Or, “remind me when I get in the car to grab my meds from my suitcase,” which I used in the case of a very early trip and wasn’t sure I’d remember to grab them from my bag before I started driving. Because the Reminders app also supports subtasks, you could even set up a series of things you needed to check off at a particular location. I have started to use reminders faithfully as a way to make sure I do what I said I’d do and avoid silly mistakes.
I mean, you can, but wanting them in the AirPod package doesn’t make someone a sucker. Namely, the new Pros add hearing aid features, which makes $240 ($200 at Costco) a compelling deal. Second, the handoff of AirPods from device to device is a quality of life feature afforded by Apple to its own ecosystem. Third, they’re tied into FindMy which makes keeping track of them easier (admittedly, when it works). Lastly, there’s a use case for users that share a device for entertainment on flights. Two AirPods can connect to an iPad (or a Mac with an easy workaround) for movies and music, which is another quality of life feature.
I would much rather wear my IEMs (<$150) on a flight, but I’d be hard pressed to use noise cancelling AirPods if I had them. Expensive? Yes. Does it make someone a sucker? Not really.