The Off-Topic Lounge

[mightysparks]

I don’t usually follow the news or care or whatever but for some reason I read about the ship that capsized in the typhoons and have been anxiously awaiting updates. I just find the whole thing really sad. Saw an article today with a photo of a dead cow floating in the water and nearly made me cry

[Pretentious Hipster]

I now have almost-full access to my medical records except the classified stuff. 2 days before I tried to killed myself I was in the emergency because I couldn't stop laughing for like 2 hours. The hospital yelled at me and told me to fuck off, especially when I said I was bipolar because my reaction to the meds was THE bipolar reaction, and my family history. Turns out in the files they initially said I was high out of my mind, either on cocaine or crystal meth. Turns out they did a full drug test on me without telling me. The doctor after the nurse was nice to me... probably because it came back negative. Those fuckers.

[PeacefulAnarchy]

I'm impressed that stuff stays in the files and doesn't get edited out, especially if it happened same day.

The behavior seems pretty typical, unfortunately. Was this the reason you were asking for the medical records?

[Pretentious Hipster]

I'm impressed that stuff stays in the files and doesn't get edited out, especially if it happened same day.

The behavior seems pretty typical, unfortunately. Was this the reason you were asking for the medical records?

Nah they asked for me to register for a website that gives me access to it. They don't show the entirety of it obv but that was on there.

It makes no sense logically though. Wouldn't they bring a social worker if they think it's drugs? They accessed my file too and knew about my family history of mental illness, and I was in the emergency twice before for mental health reasons.

[PeacefulAnarchy]

Some people think they "know the signs," or they may be more used to certain things than others. It's not right, especially when that's your fucking job, but it's not unusual.

[Pretentious Hipster]

[mightysparks]

My dad mentioned this Reface app to me where you upload your face and it puts it into gifs, like a poor man’s ‘deep fake’. It’s honestly terrifying.

[Pretentious Hipster]

Edit: shouldn't talk about that

[Pretentious Hipster]

I have an idea for my hobby YouTube channel. I do videos talking and showing off multimedia and edutainment stuff for Windows 3.1 and 95. Would that be a good idea?

[PeacefulAnarchy]

It would probably be unique enough to create a hook. Whether that's a hook that works, I dunno. If you want to do it I don't see how it can hurt.

[xianjiro]

just for interest's sake

Here’s What Happens Every Minute on the Internet in 2020

[Leopardi]

just for interest's sake

Here’s What Happens Every Minute on the Internet in 2020

If you take out film-related activity I guess I don't really use the internet all that much, relatively speaking. From the items that first graphic, I'm active in the following ways (ordered from most active to least active):

1) Microsoft Teams: I connect with 5-10 people each working day (I only use Teams at work), and this has increased dramatically since the COVID shutdown, before then it was more like one connection every day or two

2) Zoom: I'm lucky enough to not be tied up in too many meetings at work, so I'll use this a little less than once per working day. Outside of work I use it roughly once or twice per month.

3) Netflix: I'll watch either a movie or TV episode (mainly the latter) two or three times per week.

4) Facebook: I might send a PM once every couple of weeks. I haven't uploaded a picture in years.

5) Amazon: I stick to around one order every few months or so, usually (but not always) books.

6) Spending: That's a tough one, on average it's probably between $100 and $200 a month in total? I'm hoping to decrease that in the coming years.

And that's it, most of these other sites I don't really interact with. I assume that's less than average?

[Pretentious Hipster]

[Hunziker]

I'm back! It's nice to see the usual suspects are still hanging around.

[xianjiro]

Where else would we be?

[mightysparks]

A free online service at uni started this year (I assume, I didn't see it during undergrad), where you can upload your drafts and a 'study assistant' will read your work and give you feedback. I hadn't used it simply because of not doing any of my assignments until the last minute, but I finally finished one early and submitted it this afternoon. Less than 5 hours later I received the feedback and it's more detailed feedback than my actual lecturers provide I've been frustrated at not having any uni friends for feedback purposes (and my boyfriend won't read any of my work because he thinks he's too dumb), but this is great. Now I want to get all my assignments done a week in advance just to get the feedback

[Lammetje]

I'm back! It's nice to see the usual suspects are still hanging around.

Welcome back! I see you changed your avatar - staring at the mirror image of the back of your own head gets boring after a while, I reckon.

[mightysparks]

If you want to report a past crime, do you just rock up at the local police station and be like ‘yo’ or do you call and say you want to report something and then they make an appointment?

[brokenface]

Should be able to do either

[mightysparks]

I’m scared if I go in they’ll be like nah come back another day, or if I call they’ll be like nah we don’t do this over the phone just come on down. I’m scared of police and phone calls so either of those scenarios could make me run away

[brokenface]

Could you go in with someone? I don't think they'd make you come back another time. Might have to wait if busy

[PeacefulAnarchy]

When I had to do this a year ago I went to the station and the guy at the reception desk handed me a card and said "call this number, I know it's ridiculous but that's how it is"
So call, because calling and being told "you have to come in" is better than going in and being told "you have to call."

[AdamH]

I'm back! It's nice to see the usual suspects are still hanging around.

Welcome back

[mightysparks]

When I had to do this a year ago I went to the station and the guy at the reception desk handed me a card and said "call this number, I know it's ridiculous but that's how it is"
So call, because calling and being told "you have to come in" is better than going in and being told "you have to call."

This happened to me when I went to into Centrelink once to sort out some issues with my student payments. I waited an hour to be told 'we can't do this in person, go home and call us'. But yea I guess it's better to be rejected on the phone.

@brokenface, I could drag someone with me, I just didn't want to bother anyone. If I have to go in after the call, I might bring someone just so I don't get cold feet.

[blocho]

I gather this video is 13 years old, but I'm only seeing it now. So I have to share it. Everything Werner Herzog has ever said is gold.

[mightysparks]

This is fun; https://colorcontroversy.com/

[OldAle1]

I gather this video is 13 years old, but I'm only seeing it now. So I have to share it. Everything Werner Herzog has ever said is gold.

I think WH tells about as many lies - or exaggerations - as certain political leaders I could name. But they're a lot more entertaining, they don't hurt anyone, and some of them could be true (and usually I want them to be).

[Knaldskalle]

I choose to believe that every word Werner Herzog speaks is 100% true. It makes the world a better place for me to think that.

[prodigalgodson]

I choose to believe that every word Werner Herzog speaks is 100% true. It makes the world a better place for me to think that.

Yeah, he's a real one. He's got a lot of nutty shit on camera/record...eating a shoe, getting shot in an interview, rescuing Joaquin Phoenix from a car crash, not to mention all his corroborated/documented film shoot stories. I haven't watched that video, but it's never occurred to me to disbelieve him before.

[blocho]

Well, if we're being serious about Herzog (which is, perhaps, a mistake), I've always felt that his public persona is an extension of his art. This has become more evident as he has become increasingly the central figure in his own documentaries. And both his filmic art and performance art explore the nature of truth and fiction. After all, he's one of the few filmmakers (Varda was another) who has proved himself equally accomplished in both feature and documentary movies.

[mightysparks]

12 years of driving and got my first driving fine in the mail today it wasn’t even for something I knew was illegal, apparently it was a law brought in a few years ago but they don’t bother telling anyone. I was in the turning lane at the lights and then decided to go straight. $200 and 2 demerit points for not doing anything wrong on purpose. So stupid.

[blocho]

To move to another off-topic topic, I started a five-day road trip through Massachusetts and Vermont today. The plan was to do a lot of hiking. So what happens? I sprain my ankle on my first hike. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, maybe try to go for a walk in the woods that is very flat, but I think I'm done with hiking for a couple of weeks. I suppose I'll have to make a decision whether to just head home or hang around Vermont for several days with nothing really to do.

It's been a rough year for me physically, albeit without any serious illness. I was listing all my injuries and ailments to my boss the other day, and when I finished, she said, "You forgot that you had Covid." That sort of defines my year. I've hurt enough things this year that I forgot for a moment that I was infected during a pandemic, which then made me remember that for all my aches and pains I'm still very fortunate.

[prodigalgodson]

12 years of driving and got my first driving fine in the mail today it wasn’t even for something I knew was illegal, apparently it was a law brought in a few years ago but they don’t bother telling anyone. I was in the turning lane at the lights and then decided to go straight. $200 and 2 demerit points for not doing anything wrong on purpose. So stupid.

Ah I got a ticket for that a few years ago in SF, but I was also playing gangster rap very, very loudly with the windows down, which isn't something cops generally take kindly to in my experience. I think mine ended up being around a $500 cost between the ticket and driving school.

[mightysparks]

12 years of driving and got my first driving fine in the mail today it wasn’t even for something I knew was illegal, apparently it was a law brought in a few years ago but they don’t bother telling anyone. I was in the turning lane at the lights and then decided to go straight. $200 and 2 demerit points for not doing anything wrong on purpose. So stupid.

Ah I got a ticket for that a few years ago in SF, but I was also playing gangster rap very, very loudly with the windows down, which isn't something cops generally take kindly to in my experience. I think mine ended up being around a $500 cost between the ticket and driving school.

I got caught on a traffic light camera so no cops involved. I rarely blast music and when I do it's like, The Chordettes so I don't think I'd get on their bad side lol. I had to ask my mum wtf the infringement was for because I actually couldn't tell from the description and the photo. She found out about the new law because she also got a fine for doing it a few years ago. Why the hell don't they send out something when they come out with new laws? I'm just supposed to somehow magically know?

[mightysparks]

Wow the last 24 hours has sucked. Shortly after I discovered my fine, my Fitbit band broke in half. Luckily I had the spare large band, which fits, but is a bit too big for my tiny wrists and I have to wait 6-8 weeks for a replacement band I finally pushed past my anxiety to go to class today after a month of skipping them since class today was essential... and my car battery is dead because I turned the light on to read my fine yesterday

Hopefully no more nasty surprises to come.

[prodigalgodson]

Dang, sounds like a bad streak :[ Hopefully it's a rule of 3s thing heh

[mightysparks]

Yeah so um a roof collapsed at a building at my uni and killed someone this afternoon: https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/at- ... 881692329z

Nowhere near where I would’ve been but Jesus.

[xianjiro]

[Lilarcor]

I like this one. I have known that I struggle with being a perfectionist for years, and I am starting to get used to the idea of for example submitting writings before I feel that it's ready. I'm starting as a side effect of this to also worry less about what feedback I might get and being less devastated by negative feedback. I still feel very much as an impostor in my role as a teacher, however.

[blocho]

I led a training at my company on impostor syndrome. It was difficult to do it without revealing that I have crippling impostor syndrome.