Shoot the Wall (A.K.A. The Rant Thread)

[Pseudonym]

When I first moved into my house I used to be really anxious and hyper alert of noises all the time, and that was the same I had to sleep with an airglobe running to make enough of a swooshing noise to stop me being so overly aware of every little noise. It's not too bad now, but I do pretty much read until I start falling asleep which is often stupidly late. On the plus side once I'm asleep I'm pretty much dead to the world. Have slept fifteen hours straight before now. 

[Artemis]

Wow!  I've slept that long before, but I don't sleep like a log, I still toss and turn.  Have an awfully hard time waking up though.  When I was in college I was awake for 8 days straight working on a project, and I slept for 25 hours after that.

 

 

[J.P.]

The bad thing about the newest electronics is that they aren't designed to last longer than the "update period". I'm very suspicious about the new gadgets. That's why I don't buy used ones, only new and outdated. :)

[Van Buren Supernova]

New and outdated XD is not always easy to find though.

 

On one hand, I get the need from electronic manufacturers to give their product limited age. They need to stay consistent in the market and create continuous demand, especially when the competitors do it that way, and society becomes more and more narcissistic. Style is too highly valued by some (idiots), mostly above other things like functionality and quality. Trend, certain people let it dictates their choices (idiots). These consumers are the most valuable consumers to manufacturers, and if they can't keep up, they'd lose them and jeopardize their existence.

 

However, when will it stop or slow down? I believe electronic waste problem is already a big thing. I'm in more forgiving place, in fact, every single usable things, even from trash is recycled or reused somewhere. While previously I stayed in expensive city that basically when big electronics break down, the repair only cost slightly lower than buying new. Even the moving cost of fridge and washing machine alike would cost at least half of the price. And repair usually doesn't last long before the next break down. We had replaced printers, aircons, washing machines, TVs within ten years. And of course, everytime it caused a blow to our finances. And this is from one household. My mom's washing machine is 20 years and still in operation.

 

I don't know how to bridge these two needs except creating some sustainable cycle that enable manufacturers to stay significant without 'making necessary demands from something unnecessary'.

[Artemis]

I'm always reluctant to update my technology while what I have is still working, so I just keep using my devices until they're no longer usable.  My current laptop is from 2010 (kind of amazed it's still going with no major problems), and my previous laptop was my very first one, which I got in 2005.  Web technology advanced so quickly in those years that, eventually, the poor thing with its puny amount of RAM could barely run a website or open a folder.  Then the power jack conked out, and I looked into having it repaired, but discovered it would have been almost as expensive to do that as to just buy a new laptop at that point.

 

I successfully avoided getting a smartphone until 2014, and even then only got one reluctantly.  I still have the same one, and it's still perfectly good, but I'm a little worried they'll be phasing it out soon to force me to upgrade.

 

 

[T.o.b.y]

I hang on to my stuff as well. Partly to avoid waste but also because I get used to it and don't like change.

 

Am dreading the final breakdown of my car. It was made in 1999 and it's days are nearly over. But I love it, it's small, sturdy, safe, economical with fuel and has no unnecessary technology. I wish I could just get the same one again, only newer, but they don't make this model any more.

[Arcadia]

Ohhhh, I love my car. It's a 2000 and still gets amazing mileage. They don't make mine anymore either. :cry:

[Carol the Dabbler]

Alex's car is a '91 Toyota Tercel, and still runs beautifully.  We had a bit of a scare a couple years ago when it needed a new transmission and our garage wasn't able to find any (not even any rebuilt ones -- apparently due to the recent high prices being paid for scrap metal -- old cars were being sold for scrap, rather than sitting in the junk yard waiting for someone to need their parts).  They just about had us convinced that the car was not salvageable, till I asked couldn't its own transmission be rebuilt?  Sure, they said.  (Well why didn't ya say so in the first place?! )  They recommended a transmission shop, we had the work done, and the car runs fine once again.

 

So that's the main down side of driving an older car -- the difficulty of getting parts.

 

My car is a 2006 Toyota Matrix.  It's a hatch-back with all-wheel drive, anti-lock brakes, power windows, fancy door locks, and air bags.  It's a great car to drive. BUT it has needed a lot of repairs in the three years that we've owned it.  I don't think it's a lemon, it's just the downside of driving a (somewhat) newer car -- all those newfangled gadgets represent lots of other things that are bound to need repair sooner or later.

[Arcadia]

Yep, one reason I love my car is that it has almost no bells and whistles, and therefore less to break down. I dread getting a newer car.

[Van Buren Supernova]

I think car is much more timeless and resistant to changes compares to things like phones.

 

Cars still fulfill its basic purpose, transferring people from one place to another, the capacity remains consistent. And when the component is well taken care of, it remains usable, unless there is no compatible spare parts anymore, but still, it's relatively easier to customize, until the day it has to fly or self drive or when hybrid is compulsory or the energy source had been changed. And it's not a must-have thing to remain relevant unlike mobile phone or computer.

 

 

Unrelated, last night I dreamed that I commit murder. Geez. Although it seems lighthearted and even funny dream instead of dark, but still, it is quite disturbing to me.  :o

So me and someone were having difficulty in life and she asked for my help to murder two people.  I kill one, she kills one. Because they are villains that make our lives miserable (it's not clear why). So I have a baseball bat and that biatch only use giant toilet paper roll. I get my target and she fails, then she asks my help and gives me her weapon of choice. I try to use but it is useless, the target just stand there patiently and says that he deserves it while knocked by useless toilet paper roll. That useless girl also don't have a plan to cover up the murder while she told me she plans everything well. I remember looking at heavy machinery with mechanical arm that would be useful for digging, and the guy (who is still standing there, unharmed, hanging around and striking up conversation) agrees with me. This is disturbing because I was the murderer and she is not, and why would I get involved with this stupid plan without knowing how to do it right? And what is this guy doing here still? And who gets that giant toilet paper roll? And the scenery around is pretty unlike the plot. Gah!

I think this is actually the first time I have this kind of dream and hate it a lot of how stupid I am in there.

 

 

[Arcadia]

I dreamed I murdered my parents one night. It really shook me up, I leapt out of bed, raced upstairs and woke them up to make sure they were still alive. When my dad asked what was going on, I explained why I was so upset. He yawned, said "perfectly understandable," rolled over and went back to sleep. :wacko:

 

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

Alright. Your dad sounds very cool, and actually that is a horrible dream..!

Tsk..!

 

I almost slipped and did a split 3 times today, and trust me, I am not equipped to do that. How I wish I could just flip, somersault and land like a superhero anytime there is a near death experience like that. XD

[Pseudonym]

What do you guys do when you're stressed? Any hints or tips?

[Arcadia]

Alright. Your dad sounds very cool, and actually that is a horrible dream..!

 

Yes he was, and yes it was. Urghh.

 

What do you guys do when you're stressed? Any hints or tips?

What works best for me is to get out (by myself) into nature. Taking a long walk anywhere is second best.

 

Meditation helps a lot of people (not me). Depends on what's causing the stress, too ... if I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have to do, making a "to do" list helps. If it's caused by friends/family/people in general, I have to get out of the situation for awhile, even if it's just locking myself in the bathroom for a few minutes.

 

And it also depends on the symptoms ... when my stress got too bad, I got severe anxiety, and relaxation techniques were very helpful. Depression's harder, imo, but maybe that's only because I've never been treated for it so I don't know any of the coping mechanisms?

 

If it's bad enough, consulting a professional is not a bad idea.

 

Any of that help?

[Pseudonym]

Mainly work stressing me out at the moment. Things set up poorly, stuff not in stock, things breaking. Too much to do, too little time. At least I've wangled next week off, I was thinking of pushing it back a week, but judging by how stressed I am today and yesterday, maybe not. 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I try to 'get away' when I'm stressed and do something that works as a mini-vacation even if all I did was go somewhere an hour from home for the day and will be in my bed that night. I also plan time away which I usually need desperately by the time it comes around.

[Pseudonym]

I was thinking of going away for a few days, but I'll think I'll just stay at home and try not to go out or talk to people much, that usually helps me decompress. Maybe I'll fit in a few walks if it stops raining long enough. 

 

I have a mini-rant, people who insist on 'being polite' to the point of making a nuisance of themselves. We have multiple couriers coming to the office everyday, and most now know it's fine to let themselves in, get the parcel that's waiting for them, and head off. It's easier for me, since I'm normally upstairs up to my eyeballs in work. But one courier comes in, knocks on the house door, where my brother is also up to his eyeballs in work, walks across the garden, knocks on the office door, will eventually open it if I don't trot downstairs in time, and then stands by the parcel yelling 'hello?!' until someone appears. I thought maybe she just hadn't clicked it's fine to come in and get it, so the other day I told her 'if there's no one about just come in and get it, it's fine, that's what everyone else does' but she said 'oh no! I like to be polite! I always knock on both doors to make sure you don't think I'm just wandering about!' She's here almost everyday, we're not going to think she's a random moseying around the garden, and knocking on both doors is what makes things so annoying.  :angry:

[Pseudonym]

If... that... car... alarm... doesn't stop... I'm going to get violent. 

[Pseudonym]

Resorted to ear plugs. It was either that or go a-stabbing. 

[Arcadia]

I hate those things. I don't see the point of them, either. I've heard them go off hundreds of times, but never once have I seen them prevent a theft; they just go off at random and annoy people.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Oh yes. I lived in high floored apartment before, and the sound was much worse. Got so annoyed that  I waited by the window to see which idiot the car belong to, because the alarm went off everyday for a couple of days already. But no one showed up, and I don't think anyone would care even if a car thief with raccoon mask showed up with crowbar.

 

@people knocking, I suppose she doesn't want to be blamed should anything missing.

Has your brother ever considered installing some kind of camera? You can get it with reasonable price now, and very easy to set up. That's what I do to spy on my dog when I'm not home. You can speak through it as well, so all you need to do is check the camera and say Get it and Get out without coming down?

 

Is the up to eyeball thing some kind of idiom there? Or you guys indeed have habit of putting eyeball everywhere? At work, in coffee, microwave?

 

 

[Pseudonym]

We do have cameras everywhere, and a buzzer on the gate so I can hear her coming in. No intercom to talk through though. The parcels are normally left right inside the door so she doesn’t even need to come inside, just open the door and grab.

I don’t know what people were playing at last night, there was some kind of van with workmen doing stuff until after 1 and it was their alarm that kept going off. Don’t know how long it went on for since I went to sleep with my ear plugs in. 1am is a ridiculous time to be doing noisy work in a residential area.

Nope eyeball not an idiom as far as I’m aware. Tea just doesn’t taste the same without. I love how unphased John is by seeing Sherlock drink eye-tea. You think he’d say something to stop him, but no.

[Artemis]

Is the up to eyeball thing some kind of idiom there?

 

Not sure if this is what you were asking, but "Up to my eyes" (or alternatively "Up to my eyeballs") is an idiom, and essentially means you're "drowning" in something.

 

Example: "I'm up to my eyes in paperwork."

 

 

[Pseudonym]

Oh, in that way, yea. I'm currently 'up to my eyes' in pieces of model spitfire. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Is the up to eyeball thing some kind of idiom there?

 

Not sure if this is what you were asking, but "Up to my eyes" (or alternatively "Up to my eyeballs") is an idiom, and essentially means you're "drowning" in something.

 

Example: "I'm up to my eyes in paperwork."

 

Here in Indiana, all I've ever heard is "up to my eyeballs" (not just "eyes") -- or if things aren't quite that bad, "up to my butt."

 

I almost slipped and did a split 3 times today, and trust me, I am not equipped to do that.

 

Are you dealing with ice underfoot?