An Alternate Tuning

[Jean]

I don't know if the original wheel still powers the factory.
I used to play role playing games in the old pétermann factory, the concierge of the building is a cousin of one of my gaming buddies.
I ended up in the bar next to the tornos factory quite often during my highschool year.
I'm not very well connected with this world, but if you want to go to the siams once, and have a place to stay not too far, and if i'm still unemployed maybe a guide, you are welcome.
I'm kinda fascinated by how a network of tiny town manages to keep a network of top tier level companies in several important industries.

[Scordatura]

Let's ramble a bit about lifestyle efficiency and physical purchases used to facilitate that.

@mooretrees, I hope this lives up to the hype.

Pressure Cooker
Right off the bat, cooking. I don't love it. Don't hate it, either, but I'm cooking for the fruits of my labor and not enjoyment. Enter: Pressure cooker. I've had this thing for years, and have no idea why I put it in an inconvenient cabinet. It has recently earned its place on the counter. I've been cooking potatoes with the thing. It does other things, but if the only thing It did was cook potatoes, it would still print money and save time. I may have mentioned before, but I make my dogs' food. Of all the carb bases I've found, potatoes are the ones they are the most enthusiastic about. The pressure cooker does all this in a brief time window, mostly unattended. Win. My next project involves broccoli. I LOVE mixed vegetables from a good Asian place, but when I cook frozen broccoli, I'm always disappointed. Hopefully I can figure that out at some point. I'm starting with fresh produce now, wish me luck.

Scordatura's Doctored Potatoes
1 Nice Microwaveable Bowl. You can go for expediency, but I find my nice ceramic bowl just adds something to this, presentation wise.
1-2 Potatoes, mashed with fork. I used to just microwave these after sticking them with a fork, but now I have them prepared in mass with the pressure cooker.
Canned Vegetables, drained, amount to personal taste.
I normally do mushrooms, corn, or green beans.
Also, If I have caramelized onions or leftover sauted mushrooms, I add them. Cheese as well, depending on what I have.
I throw either butter, salsa, or spices on here. depending on mood. If salsa, I recommend thick salsa, the closer to diced tomatoes in consistency, the better. This whole recipe is basically a vegetable delivery system. Change it to how you like, I won't be disappointed.


Insulated cup.
I seriously thought these were an unnecessary fad. And then the tool rep gave me one of these with his company logo on it as a freebie. I went and bought another one almost right away. I then got another free one from the nursing home. I love all three. They're about 10-15 dollars new, and worth every penny. What they do is keep my sink from filling up with cups, because I'm drinking out of the same glass, which I just wash periodically. AND my drink is perpetually cold. 5 stars.

In the end I'm looking for up front purchases, like the pressure cooker, that make life more convenient to eat cheaply and healthily. Automation is typically worth the money long term in industry, the kitchen isn't any different. Pressure cookers aren't necessarily cheap, but given time, they absolutely pay for themselves.

[Scordatura]

2102.69 difference
4338.38 total credits
48.4% savings rate

That's the best savings rate I've had since I started posting. A couple of factors to it, I think.
1) Last month on my old job combination making lots of money.
2) I quit the machinist job near the end of the month, so I imposed an informal buying moratorium. That's what you do when you're uncertain, I think. Tighten ship.

It's going to be interesting when June numbers are in. I think the pay will be sporadic, but man, have I been at comparative peace. I really, unironically, would prefer to change diapers for a living than tolerate that previous job.. It wasn't even that bad.. I think I sometimes make strange choices, at least on paper. I can say I'm making my own choices though.

Some notes:
I'm thinking of quitting my Jiujitsu & kickboxing membership.
It's a $150 monthly expense, not counting the drive. I'm thinking of just paying the daily admission fee when I go Mondays. ($25) I'm not using it enough to justify it. I just worry if I'm not paying the monthly fee, I won't feel the psychological pressure to go. I could always do something cheaper for exercise, but I've loved martial arts despite the fact I'm not athletic. It shouldn't be much of a debate, really. But it is.

I got through the preliminary psychotherapy sessions. I'm now going once a month, due to cost. I'm using my old HSAs to pay, so it isn't showing here, but then, I didn't account for the HSA in savings rate either. It's funny that insurance only saved like forty bucks off the purchase price of the sessions... Which was promptly lowered by twenty bucks when dear Dr. discovered I'd be uninsured. Other than big events, I'm not even sure what health insurance is good for. Money laundering??

I have just been working at the nursing home, sucking up all the double pay when people call in. I'm in the process of setting up a doordash account. I have no idea if that will be worth my time or not, but I want to try it. The flexibility is the draw. I could hypothetically go to school, work weekends at the care center, and spend my evenings delivering food. Who knows if that is what will work out.

[delay]

Thanks for sharing!

That's what you do when you're uncertain, I think. Tighten ship.

That's certainly what I do! When I get laid off, I do some aggressive cost cutting.

I'm thinking of quitting my Jiujitsu & kickboxing membership.
I just worry if I'm not paying the monthly fee, I won't feel the psychological pressure to go.

Why is that a reason to subscribe? I want to go when I feel like it, not because I've already paid.

Other than big events, I'm not even sure what health insurance is good for. Money laundering??

There are a lot of strange things about health insurance. How can you explain competition between insurers and the ever increasing use of healthcare? Why is there no choice? Over here, it turns out over here there is no competition because the government re-insures every insurer, and the conditions for re-insurance define the one package insurers offer.

In the end the health system is too complicated for me to understand. I stopped trying to figure it out and just copy what other people do. When I got in an accident it all worked as advertised and the insurer paid for the ambulance and the hospital. Both seemed well run and the people were friendly.

[Scordatura]

I don't know if the original wheel still powers the factory.
I used to play role playing games in the old pétermann factory, the concierge of the building is a cousin of one of my gaming buddies.
I ended up in the bar next to the tornos factory quite often during my highschool year.
I'm not very well connected with this world, but if you want to go to the siams once, and have a place to stay not too far, and if i'm still unemployed maybe a guide, you are welcome.
I'm kinda fascinated by how a network of tiny town manages to keep a network of top tier level companies in several important industries.

I don't know if the original wheel is still there, perhaps it was rebuilt at some point. But there's still a wheel!
Thank you for the offer. If I go, I'll contact you. Wouldn't be soon. My next planned trip is to the Mountain West. (Montana/Wyoming) It's one of the few places in the States I haven't been. I am fascinated by that as well, but it isn't uncommon at all. Knowledge of a particular trade tends to congregate. Japan with its industry comes to mind. Tiny island nation, massive producer. Also, the Patel family running hotels in the States. Or American breweries having German founders. You find the phenomenon constantly.

[Scordatura]

Thanks for sharing!


That's certainly what I do! When I get laid off, I do some aggressive cost cutting.


Why is that a reason to subscribe? I want to go when I feel like it, not because I've already paid.


There are a lot of strange things about health insurance. How can you explain competition between insurers and the ever increasing use of healthcare? Why is there no choice? Over here, it turns out over here there is no competition because the government re-insures every insurer, and the conditions for re-insurance define the one package insurers offer.

In the end the health system is too complicated for me to understand. I stopped trying to figure it out and just copy what other people do. When I got in an accident it all worked as advertised and the insurer paid for the ambulance and the hospital. Both seemed well run and the people were friendly.

Hey delay!

It's the "waste not, want not" ethic that provides the pressure. It's alright, between posting that and now, I made the change.

I suspect that the health system is complicated due to the incestuous relationship between the profit motive and government regulation. You're right, I don't understand it in its entirety either. You'd basically need to be a religious scholar of health insurance law.

[Jean]

I wouldn't call japan a tiny island nation or milwaukee a small town

[Scordatura]

I wouldn't call japan a tiny island nation or milwaukee a small town

Ha! I suppose I shouldn't, should I? I need to stop comparing other nations to the States. Most are small in comparison.

I was trying to make the broader point that specific expertise seems to concentrate by geography.

[Scordatura]

This is my midyear assessment of how my yearly goals are going. First, a quote as a refresher, then the assessment itself.

I do a yearly goal list every year, and figured I could try making it public for a change.

Some Notes: There will be placeholders and vague goals set. I'll try to make them specific when I know what I want, but I don't always know. Sometimes it's just "go in that direction."
I consider something poorly done and open to revision better than not done at all.

This list is not a taskmaster. I do not whip myself for failing. I set goals with failing in mind. It's a bit like dating in my opinion. If you aren't getting any no answers, you aren't asking enough. If I'm not failing a percentage, I'm not pushing hard enough. But again, anguish is not the goal either.


Physical:
This is easily my worst category.
I'd like to pass the Navy physical requirements for an 18 year old.
Run.
Pushups.
Sit-ups.

Gain a stripe in Jiujitsu. This not a 'cross the finish line' goal for me. I would also consider this goal complete if I simply went to Jiujitsu consistently 1-2x a week and noticeably improved over the year.

Weightlifting placeholder. I really like my kettlebells, having trouble thinking of what the goal should look like. Unless it's a simple consistency goal. I have a squat rack and bench as well. I'll think on it.

Balance & flexibility placeholder. I expect this to be either Jiujitsu related OR yoga related. I do so appreciate my mobility.

Mental:
This is the hardest category for me to write for. Historically speaking, I have the highest completion rate in this category.

Math placeholder. It's been a minute since I've done any rigorous mathematics, and I wouldn't mind picking something up. It might be khan academy use, but I also have a copy of Euclid's Elements I haven't rigorously gone through.

I set a book reading project every year. Let's say ten books. Of any kind. I read a metric ton of non-book things already (technical manuals, articles, blog posts, etc) but I don't know how to goal-ify those. So books it is.

I want to hit DBT this year. I'm always reading about stoicism and CBT, but I honestly couldn't tell you what the differentiating factors are between DBT & CBT. The word "dialectical" makes me think Hegelian.

Separate from above: read and take notes from one of my textbooks. I have a shelf of them.

Assuming I do not fill the third bedroom with another roommate, I want a study cubby. Having dedicated places for things improves consistency. Moving one of my guitars next to my comfy chair was one of the dumbest, but most effective things I have ever done for my guitar playing.


Spanish:
Keep Duolingo streak going.
Achieve mid level A1 (CEFR)
Achieve high level A1 (CEFR)
Break into A2 (CEFR)
Setup electronic flashcard system with audio. I use anki at the moment, but haven't figured out the audio side. Currently all text.
Czech placeholder. I still work on this from time to time, but I switched to Spanish for actual speaking opportunity in the States.
Russian placeholder. Russian was my first foreign language I seriously put effort into. I dropped it for lack of reward. I'd like to go back and see what I remember.

Setup number memorization mnemonic system. People think this is pointless because computer memory, but I work with serial numbers all the time at work. And I already have some memorized. It's incredibly useful to rattle off a nine digit part number. Being able to consistently do it would be a boon.


Musical:
This section could objectively be folded into the other categories, but it's important enough on a personal level to emphasize.

I want to be able to sing and play at the same time. It's *TOUGH*.

To that end,
Work on vocal projects. Let's say ten. I expect this is easily done. Might divide this more granularly later.
I do not think vocals is the limiting factor on the "sing and play"
task.
Need more guitar songs!!
Need to polish the songs I do know!!
Obstacles - Syd Matters
Yosemite - Lana Del Rey
House of the Rising Sun - The Animals

These are all excellent candidates for singing and playing that I already know well enough to sing OR play.

Guitar barre chord work placeholder. I do not have much trouble playing single barre chords, but I do have trouble transitioning from one barre chord to another when the chord shape is different.
Save Me - Shinedown
A song containing barre chord shape transitions I'm working on.

Polish pedalboard setup. This is just a decision making task, but it needs my attention.

Play some violin with pedalboard. Proof of concept for my multiuse pedalboard.

Move keyboard to third bedroom, assuming no additional boarders. It's stuck in a corner, and I love playing the thing. The corner is unnecessary friction.
Polish for keyboard:
Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush

Projects:
This category are things that very well may be self improvement items, but I consider them external to myself. Typically I want the thing the project produces more than the self improvement aspect.

Water purification setup. I'm thinking of an ionizer like in a chem lab, though I know there are other effective filtration methods. Must look into.

Small solar project. Do not have specifics. I want to eventually add solar to my roof, but that isn't this. Thinking small heating or cooling addition, or some small electrical device hooked off main grid running on solar. Or wind, I guess.

Raspberry pi project. Probably a pihole. I've tried before, but the interface between my internet provider's modem and the pi was.. Frustrating.

Python project placeholder. I'm interested in automation.

Tor node placeholder. I don't even know what's involved in this. Might scrap. It's probably significantly out of my current skill level.

5 videos on YouTube. I have several ideas, gumption and decision making are limiting factors.

Audio recording project. Want to record and modify songs. Quality of songs is irrelevant. Can be songs about nuns in fishnets for all I care.

I reserve the right to add, subtract, or edit goals.
Feedback welcome.

I'm not where I want fitness wise, but I do think I've improved. I'm certainly more active.

The jiujitsu goal can be considered frozen or dropped. I have aspirations to advance, but it won't be this year. I HAVE been going to kickboxing, however. One of the things I did this year was switch to a more 'real' jiujitsu gym. More actual rolling (sparring). I realized quickly I don't have the prerequisite physical conditioning. Working on it.

I have been lifting weights.
I have also been doing yoga/flexibility work. I set up a raspberry pi on my exercise room TV to facilitate guided sessions, and I've been using it.

I haven't done any mathematical work. I haven't even thought what curriculum I would specifically like to go through.

I've been reading books. On track there.

I have hit stoicism, CBT, & DBT hard this year. If I quit now, this would still be a roaring success. I still planning on delving deep. Deserves its own post at some point.

I've started my textbook goal. The fact that I am no longer a machinist makes me think I might swap subjects for this project.

Study cubby has been assembled, but not optimized. I would like to work on this so I sit and study frequently. I wonder how hard it would be to acquire an old restaurant booth for this? I don't need it, but that would be lovely.

Spanish: I have kept my Duolingo streak going, but I did not renew my membership, and I plan to find another consistency tool.

I have not optimized my flashcard system with audio. It's a priority. I have however made a ton of new cards and experimented with LLMs making them for me, reducing setup time.

Czech and Russian: I haven't done anything structured, though I have spent some time watching Czech language videos. Very interesting.

I have not done the nmeumonic system. It isn't a high priority now that I'm not working with numbers all the time.

I'm doing better than I deserve on the music goals.

I've been working on vocals, unstructured. My lessons had to stop due to work.

I can sing and play guitar at the same time. Not well enough to do it in front of a crowd, but well enough to do it in front of a forgiving audience.

I've been improvising over AI generated tracks, and identifying keys.

I've improved my barre chords and I'm still working on them.

I haven't done anything with the violin or pedalboard.

The keyboard has been moved. I'm still working on organization so that I show up and practice more.

Of the projects, I haven't done anything on the water purification, and I've been researching the solar project. No action yet.

I've done a ton with the raspberry pis.. Except the pihole. I really find computation fascinating, and as soon as I do the pihole, this gets put in the 'roaring success' bucket.

I did a python YouTube downloader on one of the pis. I'd love to do more, but the terms of the python goal are met.

I haven't started the last three project goals, though I did acquire some equipment for the recording process for the last two.


This list is ambitious. I'm not at all fazed by the things still yet to do. This is excellent structure to keep me heading in the right direction.

[Cam]

Nice work making progress on your many goals.

Study cubby has been assembled, but not optimized. I would like to work on this so I sit and study frequently. I wonder how hard it would be to acquire an old restaurant booth for this? I don't need it, but that would be lovely.

This is an interesting parallel to my own life. I technically I have my own "corner" to study/fix things in the apartment, but it is currently VERY disorganized and crowded. So I don't want to spend any time there. Is the restaurant cubby to emulate the atmosphere of working in a coffee shop?

[Scordatura]

Thank you.

You're on the right track. When I was in college, I'd take my chemistry books to the local Mexican restaurant and study. I'd like someplace to put all my food, drink, and study materials; Then study like it's Persona 5 As it stands now, my kitchen table is a work bench (it currently has the raspberry pi pico, a bolt assembly, and my inbound mail on it.) I might as well put a bench vise and a paper inbox on it and call it a day. I don't generally entertain, and I have a TV tray in my bedroom. All of this is idle fancy. Unnecessary idle fancy. I wouldn't mind constructing and upholstering a bench, honestly. Seems like a skill that would be useful.

Regarding organization: The best shop I worked at did something simple: pegboard or corkboard with tool outlines drawn in permanent marker. Very easy, very chimpanzee brain compatible. I feel you on when it's disorganized, I don't want to be there. I think the key is to make it borderline effortless to keep the area pristine.

[Cam]

Thanks for the pegboard note. That's actually what is done at the volunteer bike repair I attend once a week. I have found that if an organizational system is too complex for me when I am burnt out then it will not stick together for the long haul. The marker outline on pegboard sounds like something I might just implement in my "repair corner".

Definitely update if you end up doing some upholstery! That's a skill I'd like to learn but have not dabbled in just yet.

[Scordatura]

So, Scordatura, how's the CNA job going?

Solid. I'm working less than before hours wise, but being paid about the same because I keep taking the shifts they offer for double pay. The experience and pay is less predictable, and has fewer benefits, but as of right now, I like it more.

The only negative bit is I've had two altercations with members of staff. One forgave me, one not so much. I'm working on my kindness. And masking. I need to show compassion to my coworkers the way I do to my residents, and I need to keep my mouth closed when I have a strong opinion. I still think I was right in both instances, but that really doesn't get me anything.

My residents are wonderful, and many were excited I was taking more hours. A large handful of them are my buddies that I would stop and talk to even if I didn't work there. There's very little to complain about here, and quite a bit to fuel gratitude.

I've been working more hours at the care center for a while now, and I am noticeably better. We had a new medical aide I worked with and she asked me how long I'd been working as a CNA.. About six months was the reply... She told me I seemed like someone who had been an aide for years. Pretty decent compliment, I think.

My plan is to go to school to get my LPN. Takes a year. I think when I grow up, I want to be medicine-engineering-investing man. I think this helps with the aspiration. If I were designing my life, I'd work 30-40 hours for high wage in the medical field, make things in my home shop, and any proceeds I'd invest in the market. I don't exactly have this fleshed out completely, but I have decided to attempt my LPN license. The pay is above what I used to make as a machinist, and seemingly more flexible. The end goal here is to lead a varied life. I'd like to use the medical side to interact with people, the engineering side for practical interest, and the investing side just to flex my brain and read widely. What this looks like in 5-10 years time is a mystery to me.

Regarding the side interests, I'm planning on using July to do some of my internet facing and creative projects. Music, video, website, writing. I'm hoping to tell you about the attempt soon enough.

[ertyu]

A plan is shaping up. Cool. What's involved in getting an LPN license, how soon can you start?

[Scordatura]

Fall, and only fall. If I miss the application deadline, I have to wait a year. I don't see myself missing the deadline, I have more than a month.

To my knowledge (which is incomplete), you take your educational program accreditation (this college's takes exactly a year) then challenge a test.

The program I intend to go through also goes directly into the program for getting your RN, at the cost of 3/4 of a year more. I may get a RN license in one fell swoop, I may not. Depends on my motivation level, and finance. The program has inbuilt flexibility, lots of people quit after a year, work as an LPN, and come back later for the RN.

This would be at a community college, so the tuition is comparatively low. The downside is I have to drive. I don't have a choice if I don't want to move (and I don't).

I'm intending to work incredibly hard at the studying component of this from the start. I've been doing some reading already. My first love was biology, and I'm excited to see it back on the docket. Let the spirit of Hermione Granger haunt the halls.

[ertyu]

if I were in the US, I'd do a RN so I could be a traveling nurse. Seems lucrative and an easy way to capitalize on not yet having ties or dependents

Good luck, seems like you've researched it and are ready to go. Fingers crossed all shapes up.

[Scordatura]

I've had that thought too. "Traveling Nurse" appears to have pierced the collective unconscious. If that job is anything like working as an agency CNA, there are experience requirements to assume those roles. The agency aides are required 6 months experience, I'd imagine a traveling RN would need a few years experience. I see agency LPNs on the regular, and the ones that aren't familiar with the facility are invariably the worst ones, performance wise. If the experience requirements were somehow dropped tomorrow, I still wouldn't jump at the call. Not being sufficiently competent drives me up the wall, and other people pay that cost.

I'm planning for the future, but not making concrete plans, if that makes any sense. One thing I've learned is it's hard for me to predict whether I will like or dislike something long term. Despite loving biology, I disliked working in an agricultural lab. (That job was the closest thing I've ever done to cubicle work, and boy, was I unimpressed). Despite my father positively HOWLING that I had never shown any mechanical interest in my life (he was right), I loved working my first machinist job, which is my current plan B. I just want to try something else. The common factor of liking something for me appears to be the people, and that is almost completely out of my control. The people you interview with aren't typically the ones you work with. Try it and see might be a brute force strategy, but I haven't found a better one.

The roots vs wings debate is pertinent here. I tend towards the "roots" end. I don't particularly love travel, unless I'm in control of the itinerary. I could make that work, I think. But otherwise, I'll pass. I think I'd rather make my home a value center. I knew a guy who had a loft in his workshop. I want that arrangement eventually. Self ownership. I do eventually plan to move, but it's likely going to be a long eventually. What I like about the nursing idea is transplantability. I can provide for myself here or there. Whichever way the wind blows.

Thanks for the well wishes.

[gradus]

re: mathematical work, what is the goal? If it's just to keep the mathematical/logical part of the brain moving, and not e.g. do a lot of number crunching and super practical useful things, perhaps you could look at this book on category theory https://dspivak.net/7Sketches.pdf which I am looking into with my friend (he's substantially read it and I am just starting)