Minor Win thread - Life is good!

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

You obviously put it somewhere safe...

finally got this replaced, life is so much more comfortable

First interview went really well.  Turns out it's working with people that I already know, so LinkedIn messages sent and hopefully they had the same impression of our previous interactions that I did and they'll let the hiring manager know that they should hire me.  It would be for a significant pay bump and working with a company that has values that align with mine.  Granted, I would actually have to do work and stuff.  And actually go places instead of sit in my basement.  But, it would be nice to be appreciated again.

wae said:

But, it would be nice to be appreciated again.

If it doesn't pan out, just know that this forum appreciates you.

Mndsm said:

Duke said:

In reply to Scotty Con Queso :

Is there anything good for the PS5 beside GT7?  Does it play PS4 and/or PS3 games?

I'd like to get one but I don't know if there are any compelling titles for DW and I to play.

what do you like? I can help.

Thanks!

DW and I like couch-co-op games, mostly of the fantasy / humor variety rather than the gritty realism variety.  We've played through all the LEGO games and are looking forward to LEGO Horizon Adventures.  It will be available for the Switch (we have one) but I figure it will be better on something with more horsepower, which is why I'm looking at the PS5.

We're currently playing through Diablo IV on the PS4 and recently bought the expansion pack.  Also currently playing Cat Quest III.

Previous favorites have included Dark Cloud, Ratchet & Clank, and Jack & Daxter, all obviously single-player.  We are both Animal Crossing fans (wrong platform, I know) and have played a variety of similar games.  I played through most of Stardew Valley on the PS4, but DW preferred to spend her time on AC Pocket Camp instead of trying Stardew.

We played Pikmin III Deluxe (again, wrong platform, but it's a data point) for hours and hours, but unfortunately that's the only one in the series that has real co-op play.  DW has played the others and liked them.  Also played lots of Cozy Grove on the Switch.

I played GT3 to death and loved all of it, finishing 100% with all gold licenses.  Unfortunately, I think Kaz's obsession with ever-increasing visuals (and his insistence on using races as history lessons) has come at the expense of enjoyable gameplay, and the handling model has been all over the map from title to title.  I played GT4 to about 65% before I got tired of the race formats and the lousy handling.  I played about 20% of GT5, and I don't remember if I even bought GT6.  I have Project CARS for the PS4 but found it unplayable with a controller, and my wheel / pedals are not compatible with the PS4.  I may or may not invest in a newer set, but right now there isn't anything that would compel me to. 

We're totally not interested in online competitive play, certainly not in direct head-to-head format.

So, based on all that, any titles that would be worth investing in a PS5 for?

RevRico said:

finally got this replaced, life is so much more comfortable

I've had my ears pierced for almost 40 years, and I still can't imagine why anybody would want to pierce any other body part.

In reply to Duke :

😳

2nd round of (3) interviews Thursday, and a practice tomorrow.
 

First round was over a month ago, excited to do the interviews and excited for them to be over either way!

In reply to classicJackets (FS) :

Woohoo!  Good luck with it!

Met up with a drummer last night and jammed for 2 hours. It was great. Going to aim to get together weekly to practice. We'll want to put out some feelers for at least a guitarist and singer.

Kinda weird thing with practicing - we were using a play-along music app that isolates the different instrument tracks so you can solo, mute, or control volume of different instruments. So we played along to songs with the drum and bass tracks muted.

Got a bit weird because it meant no other rhythm instruments to follow along with, so we'd occasionally be just a tad off from the recording and have to adjust time to synch back up with the vocals and guitar.

I know power/air tools are the go-to but when you live off grid and there can be no uggas nor duggas at times i sure appreciate having this kit.

Its a bit rusty from the previous owner but still works well

Had my second interview today and I think I rocked it pretty hard.  If I don't get an offer out of this it'll only be if another candidate edges me out at the margins.  There's no way I didn't make the cut to the next level.

In reply to wae :

Good luck in the mix!! Hope you hear back soon!

After 3 weeks MIA I found my AirPods today. I thought they were gone forever. 

In reply to NY Nick :

I had a pair of free Skullycandy airbuds that I found in a dropped package in my front yard, unopened.

Used them for a couple years and then lost them for a couple years.

Found them this spring in the toe of one of my dress shoes in the back of my bedroom closet.

I don't have even the smallest clue how they got there.  I kept the charger on the desk downstairs so there isn't even any reason that they would have been dropped in the shoe to take upstairs.

Glad you got yours back so soon!

Duke said:

RevRico said:

finally got this replaced, life is so much more comfortable

I've had my ears pierced for almost 40 years, and I still can't imagine why anybody would want to pierce any other body part.

 

My only piercing, and I honestly don't have a good reason. I've always wanted this particular piercing and never got around to it. Still not sure how it came up the night it happened, I'm missing a few hours there, with memories picking up when the needle went in.

But mostly, aside from the facial hair, I like to be able to hide my modifications if necessary. All of my tattoos disappear in formal clothing, piercings might as well too. Probably goes back to the long standing threat of "I'll cut off anything you pierce and skin anything you tattoo" I had growing up. I hid my first tattoo (at age 23) the better part of a year before my dad saw it, and by then he'd lightened up a ton. Still had to hide it from the rest of the family though.

classicJackets (FS) said:

2nd round of (3) interviews Thursday, and a practice tomorrow.
 

First round was over a month ago, excited to do the interviews and excited for them to be over either way!

Had my 3 interviews today, bringing total to 5 + the phone screen over 12 weeks. I probably spent 50+ hours preparing along the way. 
 

 Already got a call this evening that I did well and should be expecting an offer. This is a big shift for me and for my family and I'm very excited. 

In reply to classicJackets (FS) :

That's awesome news!  Congratulations!

Just filed my vacation paperwork. Corp wants me to take it, I am taking it.  

November 22nd to January 5th. 

Wow, i don't think I'd come back after that long!

And classicjackets, congrats!!!

Somehow, my son has managed to survive to be a quarter century old.  He dragged his sister and a group of friends to WV for the weekend:

There's about a 50% chance he won't make 25 +1 day according to intel my daughter is feeding me:

Still less extreme than what he had initially wanted to do this weekend: hiking the Presidential Range.

Duke said:

Mndsm said:

Duke said:

In reply to Scotty Con Queso :

Is there anything good for the PS5 beside GT7?  Does it play PS4 and/or PS3 games?

I'd like to get one but I don't know if there are any compelling titles for DW and I to play.

what do you like? I can help.

Thanks!

DW and I like couch-co-op games, mostly of the fantasy / humor variety rather than the gritty realism variety.  We've played through all the LEGO games and are looking forward to LEGO Horizon Adventures.  It will be available for the Switch (we have one) but I figure it will be better on something with more horsepower, which is why I'm looking at the PS5.

We're currently playing through Diablo IV on the PS4 and recently bought the expansion pack.  Also currently playing Cat Quest III.

Previous favorites have included Dark Cloud, Ratchet & Clank, and Jack & Daxter, all obviously single-player.  We are both Animal Crossing fans (wrong platform, I know) and have played a variety of similar games.  I played through most of Stardew Valley on the PS4, but DW preferred to spend her time on AC Pocket Camp instead of trying Stardew.

We played Pikmin III Deluxe (again, wrong platform, but it's a data point) for hours and hours, but unfortunately that's the only one in the series that has real co-op play.  DW has played the others and liked them.  Also played lots of Cozy Grove on the Switch.

I played GT3 to death and loved all of it, finishing 100% with all gold licenses.  Unfortunately, I think Kaz's obsession with ever-increasing visuals (and his insistence on using races as history lessons) has come at the expense of enjoyable gameplay, and the handling model has been all over the map from title to title.  I played GT4 to about 65% before I got tired of the race formats and the lousy handling.  I played about 20% of GT5, and I don't remember if I even bought GT6.  I have Project CARS for the PS4 but found it unplayable with a controller, and my wheel / pedals are not compatible with the PS4.  I may or may not invest in a newer set, but right now there isn't anything that would compel me to. 

We're totally not interested in online competitive play, certainly not in direct head-to-head format.

So, based on all that, any titles that would be worth investing in a PS5 for?

 

Sorry for the tardiness in my reply. I got distracted by breaking a financial model in a game. Happens sometimes. 

Obviously gt7 is the premier game on the PS5. It's .... interesting. Can be very difficult, but it's a lot more sim geared than I like. I'm a Forza horizon player. 

If you don't mind violence and gore and adult themes (and zombies!) the last of us 1 and 2 are pretty much the holy grail, and they've both gotten PS5 remastered. Man do they look good in 4k. 

Stray is an adventure game where you play as an orange cat. It's also one of the best games I've played in a very VERY long time. It has a meow button and the story is fantastic. 

Katamari reroll 1+2 are excellent off the wall games that are rehashes of PS2 era katamari games. Part puzzle, part speed run, part action, part ear worm music, lots of fun. 

No mans sky. I cannot recommend this game enough. Its a grand space adventure. I've gotten swmbo playing on her account. There is cross play- i can play with people on virtually any console or PC (except switch). It's gotten consistent updates for free since 2016. Theres basically infinity things to do. Farm, base build, explore, fight robots, make space ships, you name it. I own at least 3 copies across however many consoles. It looks SUPER good. 

Hogwarts legacy. I did not play this personally. This was a swmbo thing, she's a big harry potter nerd. It looked like a lot of fun and there's a lot of deep gameplay, I just don't vibe with dragons. 

Dave the diver. Little indie game about a diver and a sushi joint and....it's nearly impossible to describe off the rip. If you get in before nov23 you can fight Godzilla. 

Jedi survivor and Jedi fallen order. Star wars adventure games. I wasn't SUPER into fallen order, but it WAS REALLY PRETTY. Survivor is a lot better. 

Alan wake 1+2. Survival horror. Excellent stuff. 

Capcom fighting collection - this one is an outlier for one reason- super puzzle fighter 2 turbo. It's a vs puzzle game kinda like Tetris. It's amazing. It's also really hard to find stand alone copies. 

The uncharted series- its Indiana Jones with the last of US engine. Gold and treasures instead of zombies. 

Teardown- this is a weird one. It's more of a physics demo than a game, but it's a voxel world (think Minecraft) and you play a demo crewman and you have goals to do, like a puzzle. One I did I had to get a van out of a place without setting off the alarm and I had 60 seconds to get the triggers cut, so the answer was to punch holes in the walls of the second floors of the houses and back trucks up so I didn't have to go up the stairs.....it was a whole thing. 

Wreckfest- unequivocally the best racing game to come out in the last however many years. This is the derby game we all deserve, and it happens to have great wheel to wheel action as well. HIGHLY recommend. 

Untitled goose game. You're an angry goose up to all manner of berkeleyery. It's a puzzle game. 

Spiderman 1,2 and miles Morales. These were a lot more fun than they had ant right to be. Comboing swings and flying around the city is deeply satisfying. Great combat system. 

Omfg how did I forget....

PACIFIC DRIVE! 

do you like spooky anomalies? Do you like sentient 70s station wagons? Do you like Scooby Doo mysteries? Do you like the Pacific Northwest? You need this game. This is 100% my game of the year. You drive a wagon into the "exclusion zone" because some weird E36 M3 happened. There is no one else except three people on the radio. NO. ONE. your goal? Leave. It's an amazing game. One more run is a VERY common theme. 

There's a lot of other stuff out there too, but I've been stuck into nms again. I figured out how to break the economy. 

The blower motor on my R53 hasn't worked since I got it earlier this year. After spending two days fighting to replace the blower motor that I didn't bother to test before I did some actual diagnostics. The issue was the blower motor relay. On earlier cars this is a normal relay that plugs into the fuse box, on 2006 (and maybe 2007 convertibles) it is soldered to the fuse box circuit board and the solder joints are not accessible. 

After trying to find a reasonable priced used one (new is $350) I decided to try to repair it. 

Step 1 is cut all the contacts around the edge of the two boards holding them together.

Next resolder the single bad joint (no pictures)

Then resolder each contact to join the two boards again. Yesterday I quickly found out my 30w harbor freight soldering iron wasn't going to get this done well or quickly so I ordered a soldering station. Today in the time it took me to do two contacts yesterday I had one whole side done. It didn't take long to get it completed. 

Just put it back together and in the car and the blower motor works. 

New tools and a MINI ready for winter - win win.

Y'all know the classic del-taco staple, chicken soft tacos? The ones that were like 20/$1 back in high school?

Of course you do. 
 

Well, today they're 2/$3. And that ain't too bad. 

I was getting ready to put the motorhome away so I could go home and ponder my diagnostics on the jacks, but I decided to take a quick look at the furnace before I did.  I popped the cover off, reached in, and tried to spin the squirrel cage.  For a second it didn't move at all and then it broke loose and started spinning freely by hand with no noises or rough feels.  The furnace still wouldn't start, though - the fan would spin for a bit and then it would shut down.  That means that the sail switch was either not working or the fan isn't spinning fast enough.  So I worked the sail switch by hand and now the furnace works!  Turns out that the sail switch was also just a little bit sticky and by working it manually, I broke it loose and now the furnace is fully operational.  For the low, low price of $Free!

wae said:

Had my second interview today and I think I rocked it pretty hard.  If I don't get an offer out of this it'll only be if another candidate edges me out at the margins.  There's no way I didn't make the cut to the next level.

Woot!  I was right!  I made the cut to the next level.  I just got an email asking for my availability to do the next round of interviews later this week.

And to hedge my bets, I arranged a lunch with another guy that I know in the biz.  As far as I know, there's nothing solid there at this time, but he might know of something I don't and he certainly knows a lot of people, so it's a good networking stop.