Random randomness

[Daehawk]

Always knew to never bother those things as my dad was electrician. Didn't save my brother though who decided that tweezers looked like they would plug in there and did.

[Blackhawk]

I once found an old extension cord, cut it in the middle, stripped the ends, and had great fun plugging it into the wall for the loud 'pop!' and blown breaker when I'd tap them together.

I was an idiot.

Well, I still am an idiot, just a different kind.

[Jaymann]

That reminds me of my greatest feat as a know nothing electrician. Years ago I had a full size chess set with a built in computer. At one point it got stuck, and no amount of unplugging and plugging it in would reset it. So I opened up the back to look for a reset switch. There was none. But I got the brilliant idea to clip a wire leading to the power supply, then solder it back together. It fired right up.

[Holman]

That reminds me of my greatest feat as a know nothing electrician. Years ago I had a full size chess set with a built in computer. At one point it got stuck, and no amount of unplugging and plugging it in would reset it. So I opened up the back to look for a reset switch. There was none. But I got the brilliant idea to clip a wire leading to the power supply, then solder it back together. It fired right up.

Are you crazy?? You could have been checkmated!

[jztemple2]

I was an idiot.

Well, I still am an idiot, just a different kind.

At my fraternity house, we got the bright idea to fill a plastic one gallon milk jug with gasoline, then sit it in the fireplace with the top off. We'd wait a minute and then threw a lit match onto the floor. There would be a flash fire as the gasoline fumes quickly burned, then the milk jug would slowly burn down, spilling the gasoline into the fireplace. Fun!

Then there was the time we made a soup can cannon, squirted lighter fluid through a hole punched in the side of the closed end and dropped down a plastic bag filled with flour down the muzzle. Then we held a match to the small punched hole... we were lucky to not have set the kitchen on fire

[Default]

How was I to know that Shari Lewis had a "special friend" named Pork Chop?

[jztemple2]

How was I to know that Shari Lewis had a "special friend" named Pork Chop?

The more important question is, how did you not know this? Oh, you're probably under the age of, what, sixty?

I used to watch that program. Lamb Chop was probably so animated because she had a hand shoved up her butt

[dbt1949]

I remember an episode of Car 54 Where Are you when Shari Lewis went on a date with Fred Gwen and the episode was all about their height difference.

Why in the hell do I remember that?

[Holman]

I remember an episode of Car 54 Where Are you when Shari Lewis went on a date with Fred Gwen and the episode was all about their height difference.

Why in the hell do I remember that?

Because no one has ever been taller than Herman Munster?

[Daehawk]

My wife loved Lambchop and Shari. Our little dogs have always loved the Lambchop plush toys..every one. Buster here only likes his and nothing else.

[Daehawk]

They found the big time capsule under Robert E Lee's statue.

Contents of Robert E. Lee statue time capsule in 'better shape than we expected,' officials say

Along with several waterlogged books, pamphlets and newspapers, the box contained an envelope of Confederate money, which conservators carefully separated, and two carved artifacts — a Masonic symbol and a Confederate flag said to have be made from the tree that grew over Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s original grave.

Conservators also pulled buttons, coins and Miniè balls, a type of bullet used in the Civil War, from the box. A bomb squad had checked the capsule Monday, partly to make sure there was no live ammunition.

[Daehawk]

That Blue song just played..ya know Blue da bee dee blue has a blue house blue winder blue corvette and blue clothes. Well I was thinking what if he had a certain color blindness. verything he though was blue would be like a teal. Teal da bee dee blue has a teal house teal window teal corvette and teal clothes. Poor Blue.

[Isgrimnur]

[Blackhawk]

Thinking about it, I've developed two bad habits, which combine into a third:

~1: Biting off more than I can chew. Or, rather, taking manageable bites of too many things at once to the same effect. There is a thing I want to do! I'll start that. And the other thing I want to do. And the two other things. Now, why don't I have any time? For instance, right now I'm reading the rules for three (huge, detailed) board games plus solo roleplaying, all at the same time. Pick one, dammit! Pick one and play that, then move on. Yeah, that means you're going to have to wait to engage in certain cool experiences (the avoidance of which is why I do this to myself), but right now I'm not having any cool experiences.

~2: False mastery and perfectionism. If I decide I want to do something, some part of my brain tells me that I need to get it right. That wouldn't be so bad, but I'm taking it to extremes.
~~~2a: Example: If I want to learn a skill, I'm waiting until I become an expert to actually use that skill. I'll read every book, study every video, make sure I truly understand it. The problem is that you don't become skillful at something without actually doing it. Instead of actually doing the thing and improving my ability as I go, I try to perfect my ability first, and then do the thing. This either leads me to burning out before I ever touch a tool, or it leads to frustration because I feel like I should know how to do a thing, but I have very little skill because it's the first time I've actually done it.

~3: 1+ 2 = 3 If I want to engage in an activity, I wait until I have it perfect before I try. This is a combination of #1 and #2 working together to create a perfect storm. Part of the reason I don't actually do things (#1) is that I wait until they're perfect before I try (#2.)
~~~3a: Example: For instance, if I want to play a board game, I get one, I wait until I get all of the expansions and extras, I wait until I make all of the terrain I need, and I wait until I have painted every miniature. Needless to say, I don't end up playing the game because it is never ready. Not only that, but see #2, above: I need terrain, so I need to learn how to make it, which requires tools, study, and developing skills that I spend forever learning, and never implement. I need to get the minis painted, but I feel that I need to improve my painting skill first, which requires study, and developing skills that I spend forever learning, and never implement.

So, my New Years resolution:

Cut it the hell out and get control of your brain, dumbass!

[Daehawk]

I want to mail a few items overseas as I said. So I stopped by the USPS to buy a large sturdy envelope to make the trip with items in it. I asked the clerk and she holds up a standard white envelope. Now Im worried. I know that will never hold up so I explain in detail what I want. She point me to a thin'ish bubble envelope that says ready post on it for $3. I got it but Im still not convinced this will survive to go overseas to Austria. Is this the type thing I need to use or is there something better? This may cost me about $12 for under 1 lb

[Isgrimnur]

USPS International

[Blackhawk]

I want to mail a few items overseas as I said. So I stopped by the USPS to buy a large sturdy envelope to make the trip with items in it. I asked the clerk and she holds up a standard white envelope. Now Im worried. I know that will never hold up so I explain in detail what I want. She point me to a thin'ish bubble envelope that says ready post on it for $3. I got it but Im still not convinced this will survive to go overseas to Austria. Is this the type thing I need to use or is there something better? This may cost me about $12 for under 1 lb

That's pretty dependent on what th eitems are.

[Daehawk]

USPS International

Strange when I looked at that it was showing me $80. If its 1lb or under it is showing $15. Doesn't that include the weight of the cardboard box?...basically Id have to pay that to ship an empty box right?

A card, some coins, maybe a small gift. Mostly flat stuff with maybe one small box.

[dbt1949]

USPS charges for the total weight. Box and all. It has always been thus.

[Jaymann]

USPS International

Strange when I looked at that it was showing me $80. If its 1lb or under it is showing $15. Doesn't that include the weight of the cardboard box?...basically Id have to pay that to ship an empty box right?

A card, some coins, maybe a small gift. Mostly flat stuff with maybe one small box.

I re-used an Amazon box and shipped it overseas by USPS for $26. At 14 lb, 9 oz, maybe I made it just under the cut.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Thinking about it, I've developed two bad habits, which combine into a third:

~1: Biting off more than I can chew. Or, rather, taking manageable bites of too many things at once to the same effect. There is a thing I want to do! I'll start that. And the other thing I want to do. And the two other things. Now, why don't I have any time? For instance, right now I'm reading the rules for three (huge, detailed) board games plus solo roleplaying, all at the same time. Pick one, dammit! Pick one and play that, then move on. Yeah, that means you're going to have to wait to engage in certain cool experiences (the avoidance of which is why I do this to myself), but right now I'm not having any cool experiences.

~2: False mastery and perfectionism. If I decide I want to do something, some part of my brain tells me that I need to get it right. That wouldn't be so bad, but I'm taking it to extremes.
~~~2a: Example: If I want to learn a skill, I'm waiting until I become an expert to actually use that skill. I'll read every book, study every video, make sure I truly understand it. The problem is that you don't become skillful at something without actually doing it. Instead of actually doing the thing and improving my ability as I go, I try to perfect my ability first, and then do the thing. This either leads me to burning out before I ever touch a tool, or it leads to frustration because I feel like I should know how to do a thing, but I have very little skill because it's the first time I've actually done it.

~3: 1+ 2 = 3 If I want to engage in an activity, I wait until I have it perfect before I try. This is a combination of #1 and #2 working together to create a perfect storm. Part of the reason I don't actually do things (#1) is that I wait until they're perfect before I try (#2.)
~~~3a: Example: For instance, if I want to play a board game, I get one, I wait until I get all of the expansions and extras, I wait until I make all of the terrain I need, and I wait until I have painted every miniature. Needless to say, I don't end up playing the game because it is never ready. Not only that, but see #2, above: I need terrain, so I need to learn how to make it, which requires tools, study, and developing skills that I spend forever learning, and never implement. I need to get the minis painted, but I feel that I need to improve my painting skill first, which requires study, and developing skills that I spend forever learning, and never implement.

So, my New Years resolution:

Cut it the hell out and get control of your brain, dumbass!

[jztemple2]

[Smoove_B]

[jztemple2]

Nice space shuttle you got there...

[Daehawk]

[jztemple2]

[Blackhawk]

Sigh.

[malchior]

Sigh.

Instead of just saying planning over and over...how about something useful. Have you tried some simple organizational system like Bullet Journal or Getting Things Done? I have/had this tendency and in particular I've found Bullet Journal to be very helpful in the sense that developing lists of tasks and then using the system to move them around as interests/time pressures change is helpful. Especially once you get good at decomposing all the 'perfection' needs into tasks and then knocking them out one by one to build the foundation for the 'big win'.

[Holman]

Thinking about it, I've developed two bad habits, which combine into a third:

~1: Biting off more than I can chew. Or, rather, taking manageable bites of too many things at once to the same effect. There is a thing I want to do! I'll start that. And the other thing I want to do. And the two other things. Now, why don't I have any time? For instance, right now I'm reading the rules for three (huge, detailed) board games plus solo roleplaying, all at the same time. Pick one, dammit! Pick one and play that, then move on. Yeah, that means you're going to have to wait to engage in certain cool experiences (the avoidance of which is why I do this to myself), but right now I'm not having any cool experiences.

~2: False mastery and perfectionism. If I decide I want to do something, some part of my brain tells me that I need to get it right. That wouldn't be so bad, but I'm taking it to extremes.
~~~2a: Example: If I want to learn a skill, I'm waiting until I become an expert to actually use that skill. I'll read every book, study every video, make sure I truly understand it. The problem is that you don't become skillful at something without actually doing it. Instead of actually doing the thing and improving my ability as I go, I try to perfect my ability first, and then do the thing. This either leads me to burning out before I ever touch a tool, or it leads to frustration because I feel like I should know how to do a thing, but I have very little skill because it's the first time I've actually done it.

~3: 1+ 2 = 3 If I want to engage in an activity, I wait until I have it perfect before I try. This is a combination of #1 and #2 working together to create a perfect storm. Part of the reason I don't actually do things (#1) is that I wait until they're perfect before I try (#2.)
~~~3a: Example: For instance, if I want to play a board game, I get one, I wait until I get all of the expansions and extras, I wait until I make all of the terrain I need, and I wait until I have painted every miniature. Needless to say, I don't end up playing the game because it is never ready. Not only that, but see #2, above: I need terrain, so I need to learn how to make it, which requires tools, study, and developing skills that I spend forever learning, and never implement. I need to get the minis painted, but I feel that I need to improve my painting skill first, which requires study, and developing skills that I spend forever learning, and never implement.

So, my New Years resolution:

Cut it the hell out and get control of your brain, dumbass!

I'm guilty of a lot of this.

One thing I try to remind myself is that play is play. To the degree that you're talking about hobbies, it sounds like you're making them into work. (I do this too.) It's so easy to pursue a kind of perfection that sucks the pleasure out of things that are supposed to be fun.

When it comes to games, I'm trying to convince myself to just play. If it's fun, it'll be fun, and I can try to "master" it later.

[dbt1949]

My gaming now consists of buying a game, installing it,and watching 27 videos of it and not playing it. I'm exhausted from watching the videos.

[Blackhawk]

Sigh.

Instead of just saying planning over and over...how about something useful. Have you tried some simple organizational system like Bullet Journal or Getting Things Done? I have/had this tendency and in particular I've found Bullet Journal to be very helpful in the sense that developing lists of tasks and then using the system to move them around as interests/time pressures change is helpful. Especially once you get good at decomposing all the 'perfection' needs into tasks and then knocking them out one by one to build the foundation for the 'big win'.

Bullet journaling has very little appeal to me, mostly because I've been using a (at least somewhat) similar of shorthand outline planning and organization since the 80s. These days I do it all on OneNote.

I will check out the other one.

[malchior]

Sigh.

Instead of just saying planning over and over...how about something useful. Have you tried some simple organizational system like Bullet Journal or Getting Things Done? I have/had this tendency and in particular I've found Bullet Journal to be very helpful in the sense that developing lists of tasks and then using the system to move them around as interests/time pressures change is helpful. Especially once you get good at decomposing all the 'perfection' needs into tasks and then knocking them out one by one to build the foundation for the 'big win'.

Bullet journaling has very little appeal to me, mostly because I've been using a (at least somewhat) similar of shorthand outline planning and organization since the 80s. These days I do it all on OneNote.

I BulletJournal in OneNote. The system itself is solid but if you already do much of this already I could see why you'd think it probably won't help much.

I will check out the other one.

FWIW this system is also adaptable to whatever your tool of choice is.

[Daehawk]

I got a conundrum. I have a 8x10 photograph of myself in elementary school. Its been in the same glass fronted frame for 40+ years. Its gotten wet / damp on the bottom half and the photo is stuck to the glass. Ive been gentle but the photo is still wanting to come apart rather than peel off the glass. I tried a hair dryer on low to no effect. Its like glue on there and the front of the photo wants to peel off the back of the photo and stay on the glass.

Is there a way to get this off intact or am I better just leaving it all to dry and reassembling it as is and leaving it?

[Blackhawk]

Any method of removal is going to risk further damage. An expert could minimize it, but you'd be risking making it worse.

I'd guess that the best approach would probably involve steaming it off, then drying it under pressure. Alternatively you could put it back together, get it professionally scanned (glass and all) and printed and end up with a hope as new duplicate.

[Daehawk]

Too much trouble and cost it seems. Ill let it all dry and clean it as best i can and just put it back together as is.

Its one of those old 70s/early 80s style elementary photos where they take one face on and one slightly looking off and fuse them into one photo close to each other. The looking off one is slightly ghosted.

[Blackhawk]

Yeah, I have one of those. If you really value it, take to an office store - Staples, for instance. Even a FedEx store may offer photo scanning. Take the photo and the glass out together (make sure the glass is clean), and ask them if they'll scan it for you. You can get it printed on photo paper on the spot. It'll probably cost you less than ten bucks.

[Daehawk]

I got the photo cleaned up pretty good and back together. The water damaged part at the bottom right is still bad but nothing to really do for it. The rest came nice and clean like new. Even the pulled apart pieces that happened when I tried to remove it fit back when I pressed it back down. Since I didn't actually move the photo they were in the right spot so cant even see them. And the glass it still clear as the day my grandma put it in the frame.

Didn't find any neat stuff hidden behind the pic like you hear in old stories of old framed items. No Goonies map. Me and my chili bowl haircut are nice once again.

[Default]

I want to mail a few items overseas as I said. So I stopped by the USPS to buy a large sturdy envelope to make the trip with items in it. I asked the clerk and she holds up a standard white envelope. Now Im worried. I know that will never hold up so I explain in detail what I want. She point me to a thin'ish bubble envelope that says ready post on it for $3. I got it but Im still not convinced this will survive to go overseas to Austria. Is this the type thing I need to use or is there something better? This may cost me about $12 for under 1 lb

Get a flat-rate box, and wrap object with bubble wrap of paper towels. Seal box and tape the ends. Mail to Australia with delivery confirmation.

[Holman]

I got it but Im still not convinced this will survive to go overseas to Austria.

Seal box and tape the ends. Mail to Australia with delivery confirmation.

I used to blame DeJoy, but now I blame Default!

[Daehawk]