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New Years Resolutions
Eric Johnson
Member #14,841
January 2013
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Where's the obligatory "New Years Resolutions" thread? Did I miss it? ??? Someone posts one every year... Well, better late than never.

Anyway, this year I want to become more out-going. Now for displays: 1920x1080 @ 60 Hz on a ~32" Insignia TV as my main display, with an actual Acer monitor (same res and hertz but like ~24"?) as my secondary. The TV has lots of artifacts. I wonder if it'll endure another year.

MiquelFire
Member #3,110
January 2003
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Still 1920x1080@60 at 23 inches here.

A Chromebook I'm using as a laptop has 10 inches at 1920x1200

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bamccaig
Member #7,536
July 2006
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There are several things that I want to do this year.

  • Continue Abstaining From Alcohol

    In 2020 I was forced to cut way back on alcohol, and it's basically cut right out now except for the odd social situation where I'll still casually drink. I've been feeling much better without alcohol, albeit my mental state has been unstable all year making things difficult. I have a really hard time focusing now. It's unclear if that's a side effect of cannabis (if so it'll probably disappear if I quit for a while) or if it's a symptom of my mental breakdown last Spring. :P

    Anyway, since quitting alcohol has been good for me I intend to keep doing it. I can't really drink anymore anyway. If I drink I can't sleep. It totally screws up my system now. So better to just avoid it entirely. With the odd cheat day to still allow me to go out and sort of function.

    As cannabis use is more normalized I'll be able to transition more towards cannabis for relief instead, but unless the science on driving stoned changes I'll never be able to enjoy cannabis out and still drive home legally. Whereas I can have a couple of beers and drive home legally. So unless the rules on driving with THC in your system are relaxed I may not be able to fully abandon alcohol as a medicine.

  • Start growing cannabis plants.

    It's legal in Canada for every household to grew up to 4 cannabis plants. If I can get a good yield from that it should be able to cut cannabis costs down significantly, but not without a pretty big investment to set up a homemade growing booth. Unfortunately, I have too many expensive hobbies and not enough money to pursue them all fully... I might have to compromise for 2021 and settle for a $150 unit or something that won't yield very good results to start. I just need to try and fail, and learn, and build from there.

  • Continue pursuit of a diagnosis and supports.

    I'm confident that I fall somewhere on the autism spectrum, and might benefit from various kinds of supports. At the very least, I can benefit from further educating myself on autism and high functioning autism. Maybe at some point I'll actually be able to participate in local services (either volunteering to help others, or just to receive help myself).

    In general I want to focus more on mental health in 2021. Which means getting more sleep. Being more disciplined when I can. It also means letting myself be different though, and working with me to stay healthy and productive instead of working against me.

  • Renew Hobby Programming Ambitions

    Over the last few years I've been burned out by work so I've had much less time to spend on hobby programming. This is unfortunate because it takes a lot of fun out of software development (work is usually ruined by stupid timelines, or other silly limitations that interfere), and also it limits my growth.

    I'd like to set some attainable goals and achieve them. Completing a working game would be a good one to aim for. :)

  • Expand on the motorcycle maintenance that I can do myself.

    I already do oil changes and chain maintenance myself. In the past I have also assisted with replacing the brake fluid, but never done it by myself.

    This year the bike is due for a lot of service that is going to cost quite a bit if I have the dealership do it (nearly at 17000 km, and 16000 is a big milestone).

    • Valve clearance measurement and possibly adjustment.

      This requires taking the engine partially apart to access the valves and do some measuring and shimming to ensure they're within spec. Not something that I am qualified for so this probably has to be the dealership. My dad could do this easily, but he's not comfortable working on my motorcycle (it still makes him uncomfortable that I ride).

      The cost of this job varies by region, but it'll probably cost about CAD$300.

    • Front and rear tire replacement.

      After nearly 17000 km my tires are starting to look like they need replacing finally. It's not critical. I can probably get another couple thousand km safely out of them if I must, but I'll probably require a new set this summer if not next.

      I have a front and rear stand for the motorcycle, but they're not really ideal for removing wheels. I could experiment with some sort of pulley system to lift the bike by the garage rafters or something, but that's a bit more involved than I want to get. It's not something that I have done before, and it's not something that I'm well equipped to do yet. If I could just remove the wheels myself though it might save some money getting them replaced, but I think I'd rather the professionals do it anyway. I need more experience before I delve into that stuff.

      The tires alone are probably going to cost somewhere between CAD$300 and CAD$800 for both. Installation is probably somewhat negligible after that though (probably another $150 or $200 though).

    • Brake fluid replacement.

      Brake fluid needs to be replaced before it gets me killed. I've assisted with this job before, but I don't really know what I'm doing myself. I want to learn though, and it's something that I should be able to handle. I just hope I don't screw it up too badly because I can quickly get in over my head. :)

    • Engine coolant replacement.

      I sort of assisted once with this too, but haven't done it myself before. It shouldn't be a hard job, other than you need to remove the plastic fairing pieces to get proper access to the fill hose, and that requires like 50 flimsy pins that are hard to locate and delicate to pop.

    • Air filter replacement.

      I have never replaced the air filter in my bike before so I suspect it's due. At the very least I should inspect it. This is a job that I should be able to do, but they've made it a bit of a chore because it's buried beneath the seat underneath the battery. So I need to remove a bunch of things to get access, and even then it'll be a reach to access the air filter. Nevertheless, I have all winter to get it done with the comfort of a garage I guess.

    • Chain and sprocket inspection/replacement.

      I wouldn't mind a professional checking the chain for issues too since it's an 8 year old chain with a fair bit of mileage. I haven't found any issues with it yet, but I don't really know what I'm looking for yet.

      A lot of people have praised a sprocket size change on my particular model to get the highway revs down. I've been wary of impacting performance, but after 8 years I have a pretty good idea what the bike can do now so at least I'll understand what has changed and can make an informed choice afterwards. Most of the riding available to me is on highways or back country roads so I'm usually doing 80+ km/h. I think I'm ready to give it a try, but I probably can't afford to with the other mandatory maintenance higher on the list.

      If I do replace the chain I think that can be $150 or so. A sprocket would probably double the cost, but I can't speak from experience yet. I'm not sure what labour costs will be, but probably easily another $100 if not more.

    • Check all bolts/screws are appropriately fastened/torqued.

      The vibrations of the engine can eventually cause things to come loose so periodically you should inspect the bike and reinstall anything that has come loose. I can't really understand how to know what to check without already knowing what to check. :) So I don't do much for this. I hope the dealership will be watching for this when they see the bike.

    Though upon closer inspection of a digital copy of the owner's manual it looks like I'm reading it wrong. The milestone is 16000 miles or 24000 kilometres. So maybe some of this can still wait. Which is good news for our savings. :) I'll have to prioritize the brake fluid swap at least. And probably the tires will have to happen this year anyway. The coolant hasn't actually been failing so maybe I'll get another year out of it, but it's certainly overdue so I should do that anyway. The valve clearances can wait until the 24000 km milestone I guess. I was hoping to get it done, have them way out and get fixed to improve fuel economy, but it seems that's going to have to wait. :-/

  • Further Develop Handyman Skills

    It has been nice having our own house/garage to work in/on. I've acquired a decent amount of tools so far, but there are lots more on the wishlist. We have the basics for woodworking and we've done some small wood-based projects. I'd like to expand on that practice and build some more things. There are also various things around the house or garage that need maintenance that I need to figure out (or at least watch my dad fix).

I predominantly use my work laptop these days. I have a spare monitor from work to use with it, but the drivers weren't working when I first brought it home so that's not setup. Either way, I think the monitor and built-in display have the same resolution: 1920x1080. Bleh. That feels so small to me for a PC. :P

My own monitor is a 12 year old 23" Samsung SyncMaster 2343BW. It's native resolution is 2048x1152 or something. I love it. But it seems they don't make monitors like that anymore. :-/

GullRaDriel
Member #3,861
September 2003
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My resolutions: Do things. Have enough.

"Code is like shit - it only smells if it is not yours"
Allegro Wiki, full of examples and articles !!

jmasterx
Member #11,410
October 2009

Still sporting my 27 inches ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) at 144Hz and I still progressively scan 1440 vertical lines.

And this year well https://youtu.be/udPmbpEwoh8?t=53 I just wanna be fucking happy!

@Bams happy to hear you're abstaining from alcohol and doing pretty good overall! That's great. Forward Thinking!

video
Yes I absolutely live my life through music, which I intend to make more of, and consume more of!

2020 was actually a pretty great year for me overall; as a super-mega introvert, I felt it helped a lot with my personal growth. I still have not left my house since last March and don't intend to; I love mon petit Home Sweet Home! And working from home is amazing.

I still experience a decent amount of anxiety (and acid reflux as a result) but I'm finding ways to manage it :)

I've learned to just live life more in the moment (being a naturally rigidly structured, thoroughly planned out person)

It's about balance in the end.

I've been doing a lot more home cooking and getting better at that; I plan to continue that moving forward.

My deep fake voice sends you good vibes!

media player
media player
media player

LennyLen
Member #5,313
December 2004
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I have no resolutions.

My monitors do though. There's a 2560x1440@144 32" and a 1920x1080@60 22".

Bob Keane
Member #7,342
June 2006

I probably say this every year, so why break with tradition. I think I'll try to get more exercise. When Covid-19 hit, I started working out, but my elbows started hurting. Eight years of loading trucks at UPS will do that to you. Maybe I'll get back to working on my project as well. 1366x 768.

By reading this sig, I, the reader, agree to render my soul to Bob Keane. I, the reader, understand this is a legally binding contract and freely render my soul.
"Love thy neighbor as much as you love yourself means be nice to the people next door. Everyone else can go to hell. Missy Cooper.
The advantage to learning something on your own is that there is no one there to tell you something can't be done.

Edgar Reynaldo
Major Reynaldo
May 2007
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amarillion
Member #940
January 2001
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My resolution is to showcase one of my games at a conference. Maybe a small booth at the indie corner or something like that.

I had the same plan last year. Unfortuntately then 2020 happened.

Matthew Leverton
Supreme Loser
January 1999
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Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
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4K + 1080p second.

I know some people with 120 or 144hz displays and they say it's unreal how "real" things look.

I'm gonna lose some weight. Still disabled but I'm sick of waiting to get better to lose weight. Going to be pushing some more (it's extremely expensive) to try and get some more healthcare. Good thing the $600 check will cover... oh wait, nevermind that will cover nothing. (one visit to a general practicioner and a blood test cost $350 + $180. ONE. VISIT.) I also am required by law to visit a doctor every month that costs... $110 each. And that's after insurance.

-----sig:
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"Political Correctness is fascism disguised as manners" --George Carlin

William Labbett
Member #4,486
March 2004
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To add something to the list

Don't take plastic bags home from the supermarket.

Put things in the recycle bins outside my flat.

Use my bike to get around.

in order to do my bit to save the planet.

/* EDIT : I feel ill now I've said that. */

Bob Keane
Member #7,342
June 2006

Good thing the $600 check will cover... oh wait, nevermind that will cover nothing. (one visit to a general practicioner and a blood test cost $350 + $180. ONE. VISIT.) I also am required by law to visit a doctor every month that costs... $110 each. And that's after insurance."

Just asking, how would those expenses be covered under Obama care?

By reading this sig, I, the reader, agree to render my soul to Bob Keane. I, the reader, understand this is a legally binding contract and freely render my soul.
"Love thy neighbor as much as you love yourself means be nice to the people next door. Everyone else can go to hell. Missy Cooper.
The advantage to learning something on your own is that there is no one there to tell you something can't be done.

MiquelFire
Member #3,110
January 2003
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That's with Obama Care.

Though I do wonder what crappy insurance Chris has to be charged that much.

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If anyone is of the opinion that there is no systemic racism in America, they're either blind, stupid, or racist too. ~Edgar Reynaldo

Polybios
Member #12,293
October 2010

Still boring full HD.

(one visit to a general practicioner and a blood test cost $350 + $180. ONE. VISIT.)

Quote:

I also am required by law to visit a doctor every month that costs... $110 each. And that's after insurance.

WTF for the "after insurance" part.

When I had private insurance (and saw the actual bills), I was amazed that the general practitioner would charge about 11 € ($ 13,40) only for saying hello ("medical advice") but I think it'd cover up to 10 minutes of real medical advice (not including anything else like specific examinations). Been a while, though.

bamccaig
Member #7,536
July 2006
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jmasterx said:

@Bams happy to hear you're abstaining from alcohol and doing pretty good overall! That's great. Forward Thinking!

[//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDSLLnP2IM8]

I love this song. :) I don't remember hearing it before now, but it seems radio quality. Very nice work on all fronts: lyrics, music, vocals, production, mixing. If you're not careful you're going to end up signed to a record label. :P

Forward thinking about you every day
Your touch, your flaws, and the way you sing
Your perfection keeps drawing me in

I'm flattered! ;D Thanks for writing a song about me. :-*

Sorry. Autism. I can't help pointing out that you claim I have flaws right before claiming I'm perfect. This is contradictory and illogical. Please submit to mandatory spankings.

I'm only kidding, of course. Art is the perfect medium for illogical anyway. And I know the song isn't about me. :P

jmasterx said:

2020 was actually a pretty great year for me overall; as a super-mega introvert, I felt it helped a lot with my personal growth. I still have not left my house since last March and don't intend to; I love mon petit Home Sweet Home! And working from home is amazing.

I have been socially distancing my entire life. :P I was made for this. The way that NT's complain about 2020 doesn't impact me at all. 2020 was a great year for me in that regard. :)

While my conscious mind much prefers to stay in the comfort of home most of the time, my subconscious still requires some direct sunlight, fresh air, and social interaction to be happy.

10 months without leaving sounds extreme. I could and easily would do it myself under the right circumstances, but nevertheless I feel a duty to encourage you to assess your mental health and make changes if changes are warranted. :) That said, you're probably surrounded by COVID-19 zombie[1] Republicans with big guns and bad aim[2]. Maybe you're right. Maybe you should keep waiting this out...

jmasterx said:

I've been doing a lot more home cooking and getting better at that; I plan to continue that moving forward.

When my now wife first moved in she didn't really know how to cook anything so I ended up doing most of the cooking. But I actually love cooking. It's relaxing, and it's nice being able to take raw food and transform it into delicious meals. I particularly enjoy cooking meat, but I would like to expand my horizons into vegan dishes too. I would also love to find a source for human food quality insects because replacing cattle and chicken with insects is a good way to counter climate change while also addressing food shortages globally. >:(

jmasterx said:

My deep fake voice sends you good vibes!

Nice. :D Looks like the third attachment was lost though.

I don't think WAV files are supported by the media player either. I had to download them to play them.

References

  1. Just kidding.
  2. True.
Mark Oates
Member #1,146
March 2001
avatar

I have a 5K LG that signals as 2560x1440 but actually has a real resolution of 5120x2880. Also have a super cheap Insignia 22" HD at 1080x1920 in the portrait mode.

The 2nd monitor is vertical and runs automated build during development. Laid out like this:

{"name":"612815","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/8\/e\/8eb78226beb9f0da2e6c836ebc09055d.png","w":761,"h":435,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/8\/e\/8eb78226beb9f0da2e6c836ebc09055d"}612815

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bamccaig
Member #7,536
July 2006
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The 2nd monitor is vertical and runs automated build during development. Laid out like this:

8eb78226beb9f0da2e6c836ebc09055d-240.jpg

That sounds awesome. :o

Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
avatar

I have a 5K LG that signals as 2560x1440 but actually has a real resolution of 5120x2880.

what... why? that sounds terrible.

Polybios said:

WTF for the "after insurance" part.

Only $600 / month for employer provided insurance before all those bills! Last year my deductable (before they pay anything) was ... $8000 a year... PER. PERSON (so my wife and I don't count on each others deductables) ... "America". Now the "better" plan is only... $2000.

-----sig:
“Programs should be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute.” - Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
"Political Correctness is fascism disguised as manners" --George Carlin

Polybios
Member #12,293
October 2010

Hmm, just curious now, how "good" is the coverage once you exceed the $2000 per year? Would there still be things to pay out of your own pocket?

I've calculated my employer and me paid about $920 per month for my "socialist" public health care contribution last year. However, only $460 were visible on my payslip and deducted from the negotiated salary (employer has to pay the other half transparently), and this is basically the max rate since there is a cap on the amount that is considered (about 3x the minimum wage). So people who earn less would pay less for the same quality of service. Which is at a reasonable level but not "all-covered" great (there are people who take out supplementary private insurance). Caps exist on individual services and there are things that simply are not covered.

Bob Keane
Member #7,342
June 2006

That's with Obama Care.

I was wondering how the Republican cuts affected his health care. How does your insurance justify the $2000 deductible?

By reading this sig, I, the reader, agree to render my soul to Bob Keane. I, the reader, understand this is a legally binding contract and freely render my soul.
"Love thy neighbor as much as you love yourself means be nice to the people next door. Everyone else can go to hell. Missy Cooper.
The advantage to learning something on your own is that there is no one there to tell you something can't be done.

Matthew Leverton
Supreme Loser
January 1999
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Chris, can you post the benefits summary page from your insurance?

BAF
Member #2,981
December 2002
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bamccaig said:

My own monitor is a 12 year old 23" Samsung SyncMaster 2343BW. It's native resolution is 2048x1152 or something. I love it. But it seems they don't make monitors like that anymore.

Hah, I still have 2 of those kicking around. My wife uses them now.

Though I've found that the main thing I liked with those screens was the extra height, not so much the width. I have a laptop with a 16:10 screen and also a pair of 16:10 monitors on my desk, all running at 1920x1200, and that's been real nice.

jmasterx
Member #11,410
October 2009

Quote:

I'm flattered! ;D Thanks for writing a song about me. :-*

Awww man, that was supposed to be our little secret >:(

Well now my deep fake voice is starting to think that it's a rap god.... so be careful
[1]

Mark Oates
Member #1,146
March 2001
avatar

This is a typical view of what it might look like at any given time:

{"name":"612816","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/6\/f\/6f1b5b7a9942b3ecc87bad8f16c20d63.png","w":1080,"h":1920,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/6\/f\/6f1b5b7a9942b3ecc87bad8f16c20d63"}612816

Each yellow titled section happens in sequence, and is administered by this Makefile.

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