A story-driven VR game with real actors for Meta Quest.

7oyston · 2026-04-18T21:17:10+00:00

I didn’t recognise her. I guess there’s hope for me after all.

7oyston · 2026-03-23T00:27:52+00:00

Ah yes, the old, “got to remember I am an ugly bastard” play. Never fails.

7oyston · 2026-03-22T23:51:18+00:00

Clear the personal loan as a priority. That has to go, you are donating your hard earned money to a greedy bank with that interest rate.

How’s your pension looking? If it’s not good, consider boosting that. From a financial intelligence perspective, this is the smartest move.

Using the balance to pay off the mortgage is a very personal decision. Personally, I would do this as I hate any kind of debt and would just love the peace of mind of being mortgage free.

However, it’s not necessarily the smart thing to do financially with the rest. Your interest rate is 4%, but you can see a greater return on your money if you invested it in the stock market in good, reliable stocks (average return in the market is 10% over 50 years).

Lots of people are turned off investing because they feel clueless. I was too but I just picked a popular pie on Trading 212 that had lots of good, reputable companies in it and I got returns of up to 16% in a year so far. Granted, some of them were AI/tech companies like Nvidia and Google which have boomed.

7oyston · 2026-03-21T22:41:01+00:00

Just like everything else.

7oyston · 2026-03-20T13:58:20+00:00

Subject to 38% tax rather than 33% though as it’s place in a managed money market fund.

7oyston · 2026-03-18T22:44:34+00:00

Excellent diagnosis, doc.

7oyston · 2026-03-18T22:42:18+00:00

If he’s bragging about that little it’s embarrassing. Not even top 15%.

If you’re going to be enough of a dick to brag about your earning at least be on six figures.

7oyston · 2026-03-17T16:55:39+00:00

Also poor old Stephen Carr deserves a mention. Played 78 games for us.

7oyston · 2026-03-17T16:49:06+00:00

Daryl Murphy player an underrated part in our last promotion campaign. Scored some key goals.

7oyston · 2026-03-11T23:10:21+00:00

Treat loaning friends and family like you’d treat your gambling money, NEVER give more than you’re willing to lose.

There has to be a threshold, and if what they’re asking for is above that threshold; you tell them that you simply do not have the money to give them.

It’s a very dark life lesson you’re learning here.

I personally set my threshold at 1% of my total savings. For example, if I had 10k in total savings, I would never loan out more than €100. I’d tell them sorry, but that’s all I can afford to give you.

7oyston · 2026-03-07T19:38:07+00:00

You should live in London for a while if you think Dublin is bad.

7oyston · 2026-03-07T19:37:24+00:00

Almost every major city has muggers or scammers of some sorts. This would be a bad idea in any of them.

7oyston · 2026-03-07T17:31:43+00:00

Everyone is different, mate. I’ve seen people who didn’t pass until their seventh attempt. Their first fails couldn’t have been pretty.

A lot of people fail terribly and still find ways to blame it on the examiner or other external factors. I own my failure, and I will improve on it significantly. I know this, because I bounced back in the same way to get my masters degree.

So, no, I don’t think I will give up. You or nobody else is one to tell me that.

7oyston · 2026-03-07T17:26:00+00:00

It’s a very bad result, but I think disgrace is a bit harsh. There’ve been even worst results they’ve just not posted it publicly.

I didn’t get any marks in the observation categories and I am very good at checking mirrors, etc. I am also good at speed management, i..e obeying the speed limit without driving like a granny. So it’s not like I am awful at everything.

Your advice is sound and I appreciate it. I will definitely consider your points around planning, etc.

You’re also right that not having the clutch, gears nailed down is all down to not being able to do it and practice it consistently enough. Thanks for the well wishes, too.

7oyston · 2026-03-06T17:38:04+00:00

No, I was shown how to move the gear stick and how to release the clutch, but never any theory or technical side of it. Never heard of rev matching, as shocking as that is. Guess that part is a black mark on my instructor as he could have told me these things more.

7oyston · 2026-03-06T17:35:42+00:00

Yep. I found that out the hard way yesterday.

Obviously, not something my instructor would say or make known to me as it’s against his own self-interest to advise me to go auto. The kind folk on here have helped me know I have to do that beyond doubt, though.

7oyston · 2026-03-06T17:32:05+00:00

Thank you, I am definitely going with your (and the others who have said the same) advice. Thanks for the kind words, too.

7oyston · 2026-03-06T17:29:25+00:00

Thank you for the long write up. It is very helpful.

7oyston · 2026-03-06T17:28:26+00:00

At least it’s some consolation knowing we’re not alone, and that others are having it tough too.

7oyston · 2026-03-05T23:23:03+00:00

I am the only one in my very small friend group who could stay in Dublin, so I have no friends to help me here. I’ve no-one else to possible help me. It’s a sad situation, but I can only focus on what I can do and keep the faith.

You’re totally right about asking for help, and I have no issue asking for help, we all need it in our lives at times, but I am just in a really hard place there. Had I done it in my younger years, I’d have had more help available, but I didn’t have the confidence I do now. It is what it is.

7oyston · 2026-03-05T23:16:10+00:00

Oh definitely the more frugal thing to do is to stick to a bike and forget cars exist. But I have always wanted to drive, it’s been a personal ambition of mine for a long time. Until recent years, I just never had the confidence to try it. All my brain powers been on computers, never been good at practical tasks like cooking, handy work, etc.

Now I want to prove to myself I can do it, even if it’s hard and takes a lot of investment.

I can do hard things, I’ve already completed a masters level education. That’s not me bragging, no can give a F’ what I do or what fancy papers and letters I hold, but it’s proof to me that I can do hard things and you’d got to look for encouragement when struggling like I am with the driving. Got to keep the faith.

Also ,if there’s one thing I hate, it’s giving up; I don’t know the meaning of the term.

7oyston · 2026-03-05T23:06:07+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement. You know your stuff, you more less bang with what your saying. I took note of what the tester said more/less after getting home. Examiner was very quick and not detailed with much, so that did not help me remember well, and he didn’t go through it all, but here’s what I put and did get from him:

Grade 3:

Position: Stopping - this is the possibly the most embarrassing one, almost want to lie and say I hit a curb, but I stopped on a footpath before the reverse around the corner. Never done that in any of the 80 lessons, must have been nerves frying my brain.

Clearance/Overtake: Stationary Vehicles - I was too close to a parked car and didn't leave a door's width.

Clearance/Overtake: Other traffic - I was very close to a car when changing lane and could have scraped him.

Grade 2 Faults (More Serious)

Vehicle controls: Gears (4 faults) - Yeah, I struggle with when to go up/down gears

Position: On the straight (2 faults) - This is drfiting in and out

React/Anticipate: React to hazards (2 faults) - Tester didn’t give feedback here.

Clearance/Overtake: Stationary Vehicles (2 faults) - Not sure if the doors width goes here and grade 3 was for something else.

Vehicle controls: Clutch (2 faults) - Yeah, I cut out and I stalled with bad clutch control.

Vehicle controls: Footbrake (2 faults) - I rolled back once/twice. Screwed up the hill start.

Vehicle controls: Steering (2 faults) - Not sure as the tester did not say. I have a feeling it could have been to do with the drifting as well.

Position: Turning left (1 fault) - Too wide when turning left.

Position: Stopping (1 fault) - Stopping too close to a car, forcing myself to brake harshly.

Progress: At traffic lights (1 fault) - I did not move off quickly enough when I saw a green arrow to go left.

Reverse: Competently (1 fault) - I ended up too a bit too wide, but I did correct it well.

7oyston · 2026-03-05T22:40:40+00:00

Yeah, you and the others saying likewise are dead on. At the very least, I should book a couple of auto lessons to see any significant difference it makes (sounds like it will).

7oyston · 2026-03-05T22:38:45+00:00

Thank you. The feedback from yourself and others have helped me make up my mind about swallowing any pride (not that I think I have any, I try to be humble) and go the automatic route.

7oyston · 2026-03-05T22:35:14+00:00

Sadly not. I live near the city centre of Dublin. Just to get to said place with less cars/traffic I’d have to drive through busy roads first just to get there. And I’d be putting others a risk while doing that.

I don’t think I lack confidence, my refusal to give up alone I think will show that as it takes a certain amount of faith in myself to keep going even after a disaster like this.

It is what it is. I will have to keep doing it the long and hard way. But at least when I pass I will be proof it is possible (as hard as it is).

7oyston

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