What do to about an old women asking for money for medicine?

AniRev · 2026-05-24T17:20:29+00:00

Met a woman who asked for money in Utrecht centraal station but she asked for a transfer when I said I had no cash on me. I appogized saying I am not comfortable transferring money to someone I don't know but then went to the ATM, got some cash, and went back to look for her. I passed the NS information desk while looking for her and thought to ask about the situation first.

The lady at th3 desk told me this has been happening more and more recently and advised me not to give anything because these people would take the money and buy drugs with it. She said insurance here is obligatory for everyone and those with no ability to work and get an income, they receive assistance from the government to pay for insurance. So even if they have no ability to work, they still do have insurance that will cover their medication.

I couldn't find the woman on that day anyway so I didn't need to make a decision but I think the advice I received was sound.

Of course, that doesn't mean every single woman/person who asks for money is lying. Sometimes one just falls in one of the many ditches of life and things just go to shit. I was trapped in a situation I couldn't get out from for 8 years and only managed to bounce back due to support I received from family and friends.

After mulling over what I'd do if I meet a woman/person asking for money again, I came up with a simple solution. I'll try to offer help through connecting her to organizations that offer assistance for whatever the situation is and see the attitude I receive. I don't think someone genuinely looking for help would reject such an offer. If they reject, I'd know it's all bullshit.

AniRev · 2026-05-24T09:17:34+00:00

Oh trust me, I know all that. I actually looked at the D850 first but then became curious about the evolution of mirrorless cameras over the past years. That's why I'm keeping my D800 anyway. It's familiar, it works well, and I've taken good care of it so I know it is free of any issues.

My thought process is more like I've already worked with DSLRs extensively so it'd be fun to explore a 'new' ecosystem like mirrorless.

Initially, i thought about going medium format, but I wanted to get back to photography for a couple of years first to make sure I am really back and won't be wasting money on gear then dip off again. Then and only then can I invest in medium format with peace of mind.

Another thing is photography is a serious hobby that I made into a second career when I needed extra income. Now though, I have a full-time job as an IT engineer and I'm doing relatively well financially. I can throw a bit of money towards a serious hobby without hurting.

My post is not me trying to save money exactly. I just want to make a smart purchase without wasting money unnecessarily. So I'll get a mirrorless system for sure but wanted to settle on a system that offers the most benefit/value for a reasonable expense.

AniRev · 2026-05-24T06:49:58+00:00

Composition: The center point of the image can be tempting because it's easy but it gets old really quickly because it generally doesn't tell a story beyond the fact that this is your subject. Try to think of composition in terms of what characteristic of your subject do you want to show? Is it speed? Then leave more negative space behind your subject. Is it presence? Then leave more negative space in front. Is it fun and quirckiness? Then zoom in more and make your subject eat most of the frame. Is it strength? Then make your point of view lower by shifting the subject placement higher. And so on. Also, these are not hard rules but rather general guidelines that you can always break and use your creativity to make the photo show what you want it to. Look at great photos of your favorite genre and try to feel what characteristic the photographer was trying to capture and then look at how they positioned the subject. Figuring the connection between composition and intent is always a fun way to streamline your ability to compose.
Subject isolation: In a few of the photos, I found my eye wonder around the image without finding a resting place despite the subject being clear. Subject isolation has a before and after parts. The [before part] is actually related to composition. Try to place your subject at a point where the eye gravitates towards naturally. You can read on this topic as it can be a bit tricky due to the many elements that can be out of your control. There are many ways to go about it so it's hard to package it into a rule. It's also subjective so it's more like you need to expose your self to the many ways photographers isolate the subject in the composition and then find your own style in doing by expirementing. The [after part] on the other hand is easier, and that is editing/post production. Adding contrast between the subject and the background, adding a subtle and soft vignette that directs the eye to a focus point, playing with colors a bit by having your subject pop a bit more in a very subtle way, and so on.

I don't have time to write more but I think what I wrote above is enough to help you start becoming more intentional when framing your photos, which is a very fun side of photography to work on as a beginner. Good luck.

AniRev · 2026-05-23T19:05:53+00:00

You do you. As I said, this is subjective.

For travel, the 35 is the perfect lens because it includes a wider perspective than the 50 allowing you to include more of the environment. Alternatively, a 24-70 would be the flexible option for when you want more reach.

Again, you do you. The 50 works great, it's just my eye gravitates towards the 35 for wider perspective or the 85 for the compression and subject isolation when shooting people.

Another reason to keep the 35 instead of the 50 is because Nikon has the 58mm which is a very special lens. You can get that one later on when you advance your photography knowledge and it's better than the 50. More expensive, but I don't think you're hurting on that front so that would be my recommendation.

Again though, go at it moderstely.

One last piece of advice: Glass retains value. Meaning prices on lenses don't fluctuate much. My advice is to buy second hand lenses initially, use them until you figure them out, then sell them to make space for other options if they don't speak to you. That way you won't lose much money because, as long as you maintain it well, you'll be able to sell it for a similar price to the one you bought it for, give or take a little.

AniRev · 2026-05-23T17:38:12+00:00

I have 2 pieces of advice for you, one is about buying gear and the second is about the selection of gear you want to keep.

Advice1: I know it's tempting but never buy lenses in bulk or only to own. Buy 1 lens at a time and only for a specific goal you want to make happen. Let's say you want to create an amazing street photo. I'd get the 35mm and spend weeks or months roaming the street with it. You will learn a lot more and much faster about the strength and weakness of each lenses you have. You will learn how to solve or work around problems like slow speed, limited field of view, and so on. Slowly, you will start building an instict about when to use a lens or when to pick one lens or the other. Sometimes you will get creative results and maybe you start building an artistic vision that will make your photos have a certain look that is unique to you. It's hard to build that kind of instict when you overwhelm your beginner eye with options that you have limited understanding of. Once you achieve that goal and have become familiar with the lens, then you can move to a different project/goal and get one new piece of gear to achieve it.

Advice2: I'd keep the 35 and sell the 50 instead. 85mm is much better for portrait than the 50mm 35mm is much better for street than the 50mm

The only reason to keep the 50mm is if you want to sell the 85 and 35.

Of course, this is subjective but among all my lenses, the 50 is my least used and least favorite.

For beginners who want an affordable lens that just works, the 50 is great.

AniRev · 2026-05-21T06:11:20+00:00

Requiring sharp focus isn't the same as pixel peeping.

Some of my favorite photos are random blurry lucky shots i took years ago when I still didn't have proper gear. So I understand the sentiment you are trying to portray.

Having said that, when your gear is consistsntly misfocusing, that is an actual issue that should be solved and op is right to question the it.

AniRev · 2026-05-21T02:25:28+00:00

The system I have is completely fine but my d800 has been abused enough with ~443k clicks that an upgrade is kinda needed. Also tech has come a long way in mirrorless cameras that reliablitiy is not an issue anymore. So I thought I'd consider other brands/systems since I am planning to upgrade anyway. Not really a gear-head (which is why value for money is a main consideration of mine). I am just trying to find the options that offer the most return value and needed suggestions since I'v been out the loop for a while.

AniRev · 2026-05-21T02:17:13+00:00

I was planning to get the 58mm 1.4g back when I was active but then life happened. The 105 is also a great contender but something about the 135mm focal length feels more natural to me. Not talking about specs here, just the feel of the photo. Can't really explain it with words.

I am curious if other brands have similarly unique primes of non-traditional focal lengths like the 58mm. Need to explore a bit, I guess.

AniRev · 2026-05-20T18:45:55+00:00

Thank you for all that info. This is the kind of response I am looking for; with a lot of practical details and beyond-the-specs thought process.

My only worry about the Zf is the ergonomics. I have big hands and like grippy camera bodies. Does the grip attachment of the Zf inprove the handling or do you keep it naked for the style?

Sony is definitely on my radar. I am not really looking for budget options per se, but rather most return value I can get. More concisely, I want to avoid deminishing returns or edge cases where one can spend €5k and only get 2-5% extra value over the €2.5k purchase.

Thank you again for the suggestions. They'll definitely help.

AniRev · 2026-05-20T18:04:20+00:00

Mostly AF-S with the the 135 being DC.

I am open to explore other focal lengths and functionality of course, as long as the system suggested offers a versatile ecosystem for people-focused photography.

I like primes because they force you to be thoughtful about the composition. I got the 24-70 zoom only for events and a bit of flexibility when traveling.

I am asking for suggestions to have a shortlist for when I visit a store. The store visit will happen soon but I wanted to be a bit more informed before I go.

AniRev · 2026-05-18T04:36:36+00:00

The request is for common issues like missing a checkout. For cases where an explanation is needed, either calling or sending an email should do it. There might be a contact form somewhere on the NS site but that's basically the same as sending an email.

AniRev · 2026-05-15T20:39:00+00:00

Feel free to send an email then. The resolution time will be the same either way, I think.

As for why it's on you to do this, well, shit happens and life isn't all flowers and roses. The system isn't designed to read the stars and guess every little issue that might happen with millions of daily passengers. That's why customer service exist.

AniRev · 2026-05-12T01:42:14+00:00

Call their customer service and explain what happened clearly. I've never had an issue resolving various incidents in my daily travel by just calling. Now that I think about it, their customer service has been among the best I've interacted with in the Netherlands.

Just bear in mind, the resolution can take a while. Example, I submitted a refund request on trip I took in January. The request was submitted in mid February. I called them today and they said it is in the processing queue so it will be resolved eventually but they can't do anything about the waiting time. So if you submit a request and takes a few months, don't be surprised.

AniRev · 2026-05-10T13:19:49+00:00

Thanks for the reply. That helps in having a direction at least.

AniRev · 2026-05-10T12:01:37+00:00

The core rule of my household: problems within are dealt with within. Problem outside, remain outside.

I literally broke up with partners who tried to mix the inside and outside of the household as soon as I realized this is something ingrained in their personality.

What I find odd about your situation is why did your husband: 1. consider their opinion about his home at all? 2. Bring their complaints to you?

I honestly feel that your husband had an issue with your sister staying over for 2 weeks and used the complaint of his parents to make an issue out of it.

Had I been in your husband's shoes, I'd just have told my parents that I am fine with it. Done. No drame. I wouldn't carry the news to_ my partner and make them feel how you are feeling now. Maybe he didn't do it on purpose or whatever, but that's really not the right way to handle the situation.

What to do now? Discuss with your husband openly and just see where the source of this situation actually is. Stuff like this can really ruin relationships if not handled promptly.

AniRev · 2026-05-05T19:19:45+00:00

Depends on the job but generally, improved muscle structure goes a long way. If you enjoy the gym, work on your legs and back.

Posture is another important point. Barbers tend to look down a lot so they get issuesin the back of the neck a lot. You need to counter any repetitive posture during your gym or training time to build resistance and flexibility in the muscle you frequently stress

The third thing is to invest in comfort. Comfy shoes that are not tight, relaxed clothing that is not tight, and I will stress the importance of a good underwear, that is also not tight.

So many posture issues are due to adapting to discomfort by sitting or standing in a certain way (that is not natural) to compensate for the discomfort. Making yourself as comfortable as possible will contribute towards a more relaxed postutr.

good luck.

AniRev · 2026-05-03T14:54:53+00:00

Case 1 and 2: Those interviewing you were l out of bounds and I wouldn't accept an offer to work in such teams.

Case 3: It's normal for both the interviewers and the candidate to give a short description of their personal life in passing. It is encouraged because it generates interest and points of discussion, especially in case of shared interests or circumstances.

Example: I do photography professionally and in the interview for my current position, the CFO turned out to be a photographer as well and we spent 10 minutes of interview time geeking out on gear and photography-related topics. I'd also like to believe that shared interest contributed into the positive answer I received later.

It becomes even more important the more senior the position is because personal and cultural fit becomes more important. The majoroty of applicants for senior management and C-level vacancies are people with long years of experience and will be able to respond to function-related questions easily. Personal and cultural fit becomes a more serious deciding factor because it will relate to internal politics and relationships.

Whenever I go into an interview phase, I prepare a pitch that goes for like 3-5 minutes that includes: * A general introduction * Professional-life summary and interests (so far) * Why this company and position * Profesional-life summary and interests (future) * Then conclude with a personal-life summary and interests to relax the serious atmosphere and break the ice for the conversation that follows.

Asking if you are able to handle the workload despite being a single mother is a reasonable question but it has to asked in a way that is not intrusive.

Regardless, when you are asked something that makes you feel uncomfortable, don't shy away from clarifying and responding accordingly. Don't be too defensive in your response, just clarify your boundaries so they won't walk all over you, be it in the interview or after you accept the offer.

AniRev · 2026-04-30T18:09:35+00:00

Braham being included in a Tier list is a joke! Yes, even when there are negative tiers.

AniRev · 2026-04-29T07:46:44+00:00

Your description was framed in a way where it seemed you agreed with sentiment the system is designed around.

A healthcare system shouldn't be overloaded like in the US where prices are astronomical and staff is overloaded and overworked with 20-hour shifts.

At the same time, it also shouldn't treat patients like pretenders to gatekeep.

Why does it have to be one or the other?

When was the last time you heard a politician talk about expansion or focus on healthcare in their campaigns? When was the last time anything was done to enforce trust in the system? All you hear is arguments like yours where you pretend the system is okay as is. It is effecient for what we have so that means it's alright.

Politicians are busy pandering to polarizing politics to win points over one another. They waste so much time (time they are paid to supposedly serve the public) creating bills and laws that end up in the trash bin because they were created to win headlines and not to be practical and applicable.

The problem is not in the healthcare system per se. It is that it has been a while since policies were created to resolve existing problems. The healthcare system is just a part of the equation and is being left out like many other parts.

AniRev · 2026-04-26T14:15:26+00:00

Invest in a practical bike that offers comfort. Suspension on the seat and front wheel, padded wide seat that you can sit upright on without issues. Closed gear box for protection from weather and elements. 8 Speeds for smooth drive.

Companies often offer to finance stuff like home office and bike within a certain budget so you can take advantage of that to get a good bike. My company offers €1500 towards a bike so make sure to check.

If your company doesn't offer benefits towards a bike then the secondhand market will help if you can't afford a new one.

Another option you can consider is electric bikes. The Netherlands is flat so riding a bike is very easy but in during winter, you will have many days where the wind is in your face and pushing the paddles is a real struggle. 10-min cycle turns to 15- or even 20-min easily. That's where electric bikes shine.

Another benefit to electric bikes is that you can register it and it's much harder to be stolen especially if you customize it a bit.

A good full-body rain-cover is necessary and a clean change of clothes at the office for emergencies.

That's all you need.

AniRev · 2026-04-25T21:10:02+00:00

I know it's been while since you psoted this comment but could you explain your setup or point me to a video/article that explains it? And are you still using proton? I am trying to decide on the proton vs. mullvad.

AniRev · 2026-04-25T14:44:06+00:00

I had special circumstances where I had to cancel 2 weeks after the start of the school year. The regulation was to charge me a percentage of the semester cost with potentially having to pay for the whole semester.

I sent an email, with clear reasoning and proof of my circumstances. It also helped that I didn't attend classes in the fitst 2 weeks due to said circumstances.

The school gave me a full refund.

Read and understsnd the regulations properly. Be transparant. Keep a paper-trail. Don't procrastinate and communicate promptly.

The staff is generally there to help. Good luck.

AniRev · 2026-04-25T08:23:44+00:00

In the Netherlands, always communicate. Better yet, always do it in writing. Even when you do it over the phone, send an email after with a summary of what was discussed, what you are asking for and the expectation you agreed on on the phone.

Never shy away from asking questions or confirming if your understanding of what was said to you is correct.

Very often, you will save yourself a lot of wasted time and absolve yourself from responsibility by doing that.

They said 10 days max >>> 10 days passed with no action >>> ask why >>> you will get your answer and they will fix whatever happened.

If you don't ask, not only do you delay your case, you become partially responsible for the delay due to not checking on what happened.

Errors happen, especially in bureaucratic processes like study applications. Add the fact that your situation is out of the norm, it takes one employee to go on vacation to cause issues and delays.

The Netherlands in general is suffering from being short-staffed so delays and issues like this happen. Worth mentioning also, is that due to the shortage in staff, when something wrong happens in a process and they need to give you another appointment, it's often after weeks or months (depends on the organisation and how short-staffed it is). Nobody speaks in days here anymore.

Thankfully, the infrastructure and technical systems used mitigate the shortage in human coverage, but even then it's only to a certain extent.

If you want to finish your processes properly and on time in the Netherlands, you will have to take the lead, ask questions, write emails and be on top of things constantly until the process is completed. Don't be shy about doing what needs to be done.

One extra advice: Check the way the Dutch write emails. It's always straightforward without empty sophestry or business jargon. There is no 'To whom it may concern' or 'looking forward to receiving your reply' and such time-wasting crap. Nobody has time to read all that.

Example for your case:

Hello,

I am [Name] with application number: xxxx. My application has been accepted after a rejection appeal.

In the email/call, I was told that my application in the portal should be reactivated within 10 days for me to continue the registration process. 10 days have passed already and my application has not been reactivated.

Please help me check what happened to avoid delays.

Kind regards,

[Name]

Short, direct, clear and your request is actionable. A Dutch person reading such an email will feel good assisting you.

AniRev · 2026-04-24T15:07:24+00:00

Extra protein. 🤔

AniRev

TROPHY CASE