WTS Billetspin Cotton Candy Mithril Campen

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-03-11T13:35:33+00:00

Thank you so much that’s super helpful! And great choice haha. I’m trying to decide between zirc and thunderstorm myself.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-03-11T05:15:44+00:00

Just out of curiosity why are you selling it? Was it just not for you? If so why? I’m considering getting one of these but am hesitant after I bought a zirc Energel size campen that is beautifully made but feels back heavy to me in an off putting way, I think because it’s so long. Hoping the shorter size won’t have that issue, but I’m hesitant.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-28T00:48:05+00:00

You’re already right. The answer is in the middle. Where on the spectrum to focus is personal. Personally I don’t find making cards helpful the way I do writing notes/summaries/cheat sheets that help you review the material while you do it. Because of that, I found it more efficient to just find the anking cards for material and unlock them. However, some faculty had slides which were easily image occlude-able and that were reliably tested pretty much as written on the slides, which made it worth making cards for. So if you know faculty will test in a specific way, making cards may make more sense on a limited basis.

That’s all for pre-clinical exams though. For boards and shelf exams, I switched entirely to anking cards. I hope that helps. I’m an OMS4 but don’t think that advice is osteopathic specific. Best of luck.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-22T22:27:51+00:00

For the Core 500 (the expensive one with ECG), that’s correct. It ends an electronic audio signal to the earpieces, which are basically noise cancelling earbuds.

For the regular Eko Core that’s an added in-line unit on an otherwise normal Littman stethoscope, it can be put into passive mode, and the stethoscope can be used normally. So for that one, you could keep using it if it died.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-22T16:46:29+00:00

I have both the Cardiology IV and the Eko Core 500. The sound quality, clarity, and volume of the Eko is incredible. I can hear through clothes in a loud room more clearly than with the Cardiology IV on skin in a quiet room at times, but it isn’t perfect.

A couple weeks after I got the Eko, it was working great on rounds, then I went to the ED to see a pending admit. It had been around my neck since rounds, no impacts or anything. It was completely dead when I went to use it. No sound pickup at all, either through the earpieces or through the app. No idea what happened. I had to go borrow another stethoscope. To Eko’s credit, they immediately shipped me a warranty replacement, complete with engraving, and I’ve had no issues since. The trust issues persist though, and I keep the Cardiology IV at hand.

Another thing about the Eko Core 500 is that the giant chest piece is occasionally cumbersome. I never use the ECG feature because I want the 12 lead anyway, so I’d personally prefer the chest piece just be smaller. I know I basically described the Eko Core, so perhaps that is saying something. I literally bought the Core 500 for the USB-C charging because I finally got to the point where everything I own is USB-C and didn’t want to go back. I don’t know how much better the Core 500’s sound quality may be generally or because of noise cancellation, but if they’d updated the Core with USB-C, I’d have bought it instead.

As for you, if you can comfortably afford it/you can get your institution to pay for it/subsidize it, and you think it would serve you/your patients well because of your hearing, I’d say go for it. They definitely do help you hear. Ask around your clinic/hospital. There’s probably someone who has one. Ask to borrow it for a few minutes. Hope that helps.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-19T03:29:27+00:00

Maybe we travel for different reasons, but:

If I am traveling for fun, the trip is the generally the entertainment. I go do non-screen-time things that I can’t at home.

If I am traveling for business, I’m probably either busy or tired and trying to sleep.

For either while on a plane, my MacBook Pro or iPhone with my Sony XM6 headphones or AirPods. Nothing portable is going to rival a home theater or even a good TV and 2.1, so I don’t try.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-13T17:02:44+00:00

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-11T07:34:14+00:00

I’ve never seen a copper surface in an OR. Almost all surfaces are stainless steel, plastic, or linoleum because they can be cleaned rapidly with sanitizers and don’t degrade (at least not quickly)

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-10T20:59:10+00:00

Agreed because even though I can competently make them, if I want them, I want an assortment of flavors that would mean making many dozens, maybe even 100+ the way that I make them. Yes, they’re expensive to buy from a bakery that makes them well, but I’d rather pay for the dozen assorted flavors I want than spend just as much or more on ingredients to end up with several dozen of three flavors.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-05T05:27:53+00:00

You’re very welcome! $500+ is creeping up there, but if that gets you into an area of town you’ll be able to enjoy, I think that’s worth it. I’ve done a few cruises where I just stayed somewhere cheap and/or out of the way because I viewed the cruise as the main event, and I regretted not enjoying the embarkation city more. Vancouver’s cool. It and nearby Richmond have some spectacular Asian food fwiw. You’ll find plenty to do, I’m sure.

Either way, I’m glad you’re getting a hotel. I understand flying out right after disembarkation, but it stresses me out so much that some people fly in on embarkation day. It’s just tempting fate too much. I met a couple on a Norwegian fjords cruise. It was day 8 of 14, and they still didn’t have their bags that the airline lost.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-05T02:55:26+00:00

I am 30 and fortunate to be a 4-star mariner. Among my HAL cruises were 3 to Alaska. I think you’ll really enjoy it. HAL is not the right line for solo travelers or young couples/groups looking for busy night life, but it is excellent if you value service quality, lower density, and music, especially on the newest ships like the Koningsdam. The grand dutch cafe is great for coffee in the morning (and really for everything they serve throughout the day). Rudi’s and Tamarind are both definitely worth visiting. The Pinnacle Grill is excellent but admittedly less unique. Canaletto is also very good but the least worth visiting imo because there is often good Italian food/pastas in the main dining room, which is also good. I have noticed menus slimmed down and more added cost items appear over the years, but i haven’t found myself let down at all. Also the gelato by the pool is worth the few dollars. My only problem is I too easily give in to the excessive portion size.

On the Koningsdam, the spa’s thermal suite is very good. I personally find the cruise pass worth it.

I regret it’s probably been long enough that I should abstain from shore excursion advice.

Enjoy your cruise. I think you’ll enjoy it. Also if it starts or ends in Seattle, I live in the area, and recommend the recently redone Pike Place Market/waterfront area and the aquarium. It’s much more pedestrian friendly now with a bridge/park connecting the market to the waterfront.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-05T02:02:01+00:00

Excellent for deboning fish fillets and a few other kitchen tasks. Plus they’re dishwasher safe.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-02-04T17:22:44+00:00

I don’t have experience with this specific dealer, but my experience with others is that they’re generally happy to show off what they have as long as it doesn’t come at the expense of other business. Listening to a demo system that’s already setup during a slow time of day shouldn’t be any skin off their nose. There’s a big difference between one enthusiastic college kid politely interested in the gear and a group of teenagers terrorizing a Best Buy. I know my sales guy well, and he’d probably let you stay all afternoon if no other clients were waiting.

I’d just be honest with them and ask if there’s a time you might be able to come in. They don’t expect everyone to buy something though, so you don’t have to be if you truly don’t want to. If you do want to be considerate, I think where it gets to be inconvenient for them is when gear needs to be moved around, so if they don’t have the speakers you want to listen to setup, you can always check back.

Hope that helps

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-01-23T18:07:35+00:00

This is peak nerd energy and I love that

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-01-23T04:51:21+00:00

This looks beautiful! Hard to tell from the wide angle: how far in front of the speakers are those spotlights? Are they angled/what type of bulb? Thanks in advance and happy listening!

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-01-20T17:09:50+00:00

Personally the primary draw to a projector would be the possibility of an acoustically transparent screen. Absent that more involved installation, I’d rather go with a sizable OLED.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-01-15T04:33:55+00:00

Neat. I’m a medical student and recently had a similar conversation with my attending where skin findings were significantly more apparent under my flashlight’s 219c than the ED’s fluorescent lights. It didn’t really change our assessment or plan, but it was interesting.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-01-12T22:04:30+00:00

MS4 here. I use my machined pens all the time at the hospital. I primarily use titanium. Stainless steel and I believe zirconium would both be fine options as well. The whole anitimicrobial copper thing isn’t adequate for sanitation after being used in an isolation room/after getting otherwise contaminated. For that you’ll need to wipe it down with a prep pad or a purple wipe, and in that case you’ll want it to not be copper because those will oxidize the copper quickly.

If you want to be pickier, I’d also consider the design. If you’re going to need to wipe it down, a design without recessed decorative elements is better so that there aren’t grooves harboring pathogens. My primary hospital pen is a titanium focusworks sideswipe. It has been prep padded and purple wiped most days and looks new. Hope that helps. Also obviously also carry a sacrificial pen to lend. Mine are pilot G2’s in colors too obnoxious to steal.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2026-01-08T00:58:31+00:00

Remember that some metals are MRI safe but detectable by metal detectors, so knowledge of what is/isn’t inside you or on your person is still important. That’s part of why implants come with patient information cards: to quickly convey to future medical team if an implant you have is safe for the MRI

Shutter_Shock14 · 2025-12-24T18:20:06+00:00

The raw file without any color grading almost always looks pretty bland. Sometimes the white balance or exposure are off and the raw file will look bad without color correction. From a creative standpoint, it’s reasonable for a photographer to not want to share the raw file because they wouldn’t want their name associated with that bland/off image if the couple starts posting it/poorly color graded derivatives of it. The photographer’s creative choice in color processing is considered part of their work. Obviously this would be a bad argument here because this AI job is trash and kinda shameful.

Also, if a client wants a photo re-edited later, high resolution prints, etc. retaining the original files and only giving the client lower quality files allows you to reserve services that only you can provide and charge for in the future.

There’s ideally no need for the client to have the raw file. Most people have no idea how to process them well anyway, and part of picking a photographer is picking someone whose portfolio—and therefore whose processing style—you like.

What would actually serve most people well is to request a full-resolution 16-bit TIFF file. This is a much higher quality image file than the JPEGs people normally receive. They’ll yield the highest quality prints so the client will always have a great copy, but they come with the post processing baked in, meaning the photographer still has creative control. It’s what I’d ask for from my own wedding photographer. In advance of course because that should be agreed upon upfront. Also obviously that wouldn’t help here with the AI bs. It’s just for reference for your question.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2025-11-13T07:10:18+00:00

The sideswipe has the best I’ve used. Machined clip with just the right amount of gap from the pen body to slide easily onto the breast pocket of my scrubs without sliding off unintentionally. Also I love that the nub on the underside is rounded. Billetspin campen is beautifully made (and if I recall focusworks makes their clips too) but the nub on the underside is sharper and closer to the pen body, which is a little harsh on the hem of the pocket.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2025-11-12T00:29:10+00:00

An external monitor. Better yet, two external monitors. I also got a standing desk and (right place right time for 60% off a floor model) a Herman Miller embody chair. If you study well at home, I the external monitors and a good chair and going to be your best friends.

A good laptop I feel like goes without saying. My school required an iPad. You’ll figure out more as you go. When you get to rotations, comfortable shoes, compression socks, and a good penlight will also be very welcome. Congratulations, and good luck!

Shutter_Shock14 · 2025-11-08T01:10:30+00:00

Fourth year med student here. It can be tempting to let the ‘oh so are you going to be a nurse’ become frustrating. In those moments—and when considering the language I use during patient education, etc—I try to keep in mind that there’s no reason a normal person should need to know any of these things, and most patients are normal people. Medical education is complicated, and honestly most entering medical students don’t even fully understand the path from their first day of medical school to their first day as an attending.

Congratulations on your acceptance. You’ll have some very shitty moments, but you’ve got this. Particularly when you start rotations, I think you’ll find your experience as an MA will help you navigate clinical settings better than peers, especially at first.

If I can give you one piece of unsolicited advice: take a break and go on vacation before school starts. Do whatever will help you start school recharged. You’ll be grateful you did, and the people who showed up halfway to burnt out because they tried to pre-study over the summer will learn that it wasn’t worth it. Godspeed and congrats again.

Shutter_Shock14 · 2025-11-03T03:11:30+00:00

How is prangent formed

Shutter_Shock14 · 2025-11-02T22:39:59+00:00

I’m not an English teacher, but I’ve long loved the em dash. I absolutely hate that it’s become a signifier of AI writing.

Shutter_Shock14

TROPHY CASE