Congrats!

Depending on your situation, most of your issues can be avoided by not owning a smartphone. It’s extreme (by today’s standards, at least), but it does work. I ditched my smartphone back in 2017 for a cheap flip phone. I can find spare parts on eBay easily. My car is older, so there is no SaaS crap in it. If I need to keep in touch with someone, we can use SMS, call each other or meet in real life. I use a Linux laptop for banking/browsing the web and I keep a physical GPS in my car in case of emergency.

and I agree with you. Privacy is pretty much gone already.

I was upset at first. Human beings have emotions and it’s perfectly fine to feel them. You just have to make sure that they don’t control you.

You’ve only got one life to live my friend. I spent a few years in the military and it was a great learning experience. It definitely changed my mindset.

34 years old with two kids.

I spent my 20s working like a horse, and I eventually bought a nice house in a quiet town. I had enough money to go on vacation to Mexico every year with my wife and my kids. Basically, I was living the American dream.

Fast forward a few years later. My wife tells me that she wants a divorce and she is dating the guy she told me not to worry about. Getting divorced means that 50% of my assets go to her, and I need to sell my house. Child support leaves me with little money left at the the of the month.

So, how do I feel? Not bad at all, actually. Have I lost a wife? No, she has been returned. Have I lost my possessions? No, they have been returned.

My children are healthy. They have a good relationship with me and their mother, and they have everything that they need. I am grateful for this. Then, I am aware that they could be taken from me anytime (e.g. sickness). You have to learn how to control your expectations.

As for the future, well whatever that I decide to set my mind to, I will do so with diligence. I’m currently trying to come up with programming projects to keep myself busy. Who knows? I could hit pay dirt, eventually (or not).

Living according to Nature is what I strive for. Everything else is irrelevant.

Canadians: First time?

#mp3z

I use Session because it doesn’t require a phone number.

I’ve noticed this too. Most of the stuff on Reddit’s frontpage has an angry undertone. Anger = Engagement.

I keep a GPS in my car in case of emergency, but I try to plan my trips ahead by memorising landmarks on OSM. As a species, we are losing our navigation skills.

Frozen fish: Mackerel. Preferred: Cod.

As long as automatic playback is not turned on by default!

How much of a PIA is it to install Linux on a Chromebook? I’m looking for a small laptop and Chromebooks are the perfect size.

no alcohol or drugs: I quit drinking a year ago. I’ve saved a LOT of money. In my case, it was a crutch.

Food-wise, I eat very little meat. If I do, I eat pork liver, chicken hearts/gizzards. Offal basically. Fish can be cheap if you buy it flash frozen or canned. Peanut butter, bananas, and grapes are cheap. Instead of bread, I make my own flat bread.

Linux Mint’s software manager is not bad.

Anyone remember download accelerator plus? I’d download stuff at night while everyone was asleep, then pause DAP/disconnect from the Internet in the morning. Rinse and repeat.

Do you know where that tight little ball in your lower abdomen should go? Down the shitter. You don’t have to internalise it. You are your own best friend.

My homies: Marcus, Seneca and Epictetus.

Same here. Mandrake 8.2 was a buggy mess, but I have fond memories of it.

A solution would be to create a proxy app of some kind. As for the poor working class guy thing, I feel you man. Things ain’t getting easier.