Octopus Overlords

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:19 pm 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.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 3:27 pm I was an idiot.

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

Default wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 6:34 pm How was I to know that Shari Lewis had a "special friend" named Pork Chop?

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:59 pm 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?

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 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 1:21 pm 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

USPS International

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 2:24 pm

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.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:36 am 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!

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 4:14 pmSigh.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:36 am 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!

malchior wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 5:33 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 4:14 pmSigh.

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'.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 9:58 pm

malchior wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 5:33 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 4:14 pmSigh.

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.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 1:21 pm 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

Default wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:31 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 1:21 pm 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.