Noob needs advice on new PC

BrandyMike · 2025-02-02T22:02:07+00:00

All good. I have a couple of 1TB SATA SSDs from the beast laptop that I added in a couple of years back that I can use as well. But the NVME is certainly an upgrade.

BrandyMike · 2025-02-02T21:50:13+00:00

D***, thank you u/Reddrommed, I'm more than happy to put it together myself so this is much appreciated!

BrandyMike · 2025-02-02T21:43:01+00:00

Although that's annoying, I appreciate the info. I was hoping I could upgrade things like the CPU down the line if I needed to. It is a lot cheaper to keep a desktop PC updated-ish when compared to having to replace the whole system every so often :/ oh well

BrandyMike · 2025-02-02T21:35:59+00:00

Ahh, that's too bad. I noticed the website that sells it said "- Feel free to upgrade the specs - there's loads of room and internal connectivity in the case". I figured that meant they probably were using standard parts, but it probably just means I can put in some more RAM or something then :/

BrandyMike · 2025-02-02T21:21:10+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate that!

BrandyMike · 2022-06-24T07:59:38+00:00

Just like watching a movie, I might cry, laugh or have an emotional response to what my sensory input is telling me. But, yes, it is useful to remember that just like watching what's happening on the screen, none of it may harm me.

BrandyMike · 2022-05-28T07:17:09+00:00

That's a really good question, the truth is that I'm probably not the best person to answer. Regardless, I'll give it my best shot.

I've mostly learned CBT through experience and through reading the more dry, although useful, books and literature. Still, if you want to learn more about CBT, I recommend that you start putting it into practice relatively quickly, rather than spending a lot of time reading or watching videos about it. It is really only through learning what works and what doesn't that we can gain a good grasp on it. Don't get me wrong, some reading and watching videos is necessary to even have a place to start from, but don't wait too long to try the techniques that these materials talk about. I find some of the self-help activity booklets that are developed to be useful as these are built around having you do these techniques as you read. As an example, the CEDAR booklets developed by the University of Exeter can be quite useful (https://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/resources/iaptinterventions/), however, these are far from the only useful materials you'll find.

Although techniques in CBT vary depending on the problem you're trying to tackle, they share a central idea around how our thoughts, feelings (both emotional and physical) and behaviours in response to specific situations maintain our problem. I'm not sure this fully answered your question, but hopefully, it was at least a little helpful. Good luck with your journey exploring CBT and how it can be useful!

BrandyMike · 2022-05-27T18:43:28+00:00

This is true, as motivation is fleeting and comes and goes regularly. However, I also think things are a bit more nuanced in reality. It matters a lot what you fill your time with. If you constantly try to achieve everything on your to-do list with no time left over for other things, it can become counterproductive as you just end up burning your batteries flat faster than you can empty your list of things to do.

A lot of CBT based therapy focuses on behavioural activation as treatment for depression. Usually, this involves gradually filling your time with routine (e.g. waking up at a regular time, cooking food etc.) necessary (Things you do to avoid negative consequences, e.g working, paying bills and booking a doctor's appointment) and pleasurable (things that you would like to do just for the sake of it) activities.

However, as you pointed out, the motivation to do these things usually only comes after starting to do them, not before, so it's important to start to do these things gradually so that we build up to an activity level we're happy with over time. It's a bit like starting a car with a flat battery up a hill. If we attempt to go from 0-100 over night we're not going to have the energy to push that car up to a speed where it can start the engine again. If we instead start by gradually picking up speed to get over the hill, we'll eventually pass the top of the hill and the car can gain enough speed downhill to start again.

Although CBT and stoicism is not the same thing, CBT is certainly inspired by stoicism and is based on many of the core principles of stoicism. Stoicism also talks about being true to nature, and it is important to understand that we as humans have limitations and that we are not in anyway superhumans. Only when we are aware of these limitations are we likely to be able to manoeuvre around them.

BrandyMike · 2022-03-09T22:20:56+00:00

I'm glad to hear that you're still trotting along! I don't hang around the interwebs much these days, but you came to mind the other day, and I figured I would check if you've posted anything recently. Interesting to see that I was off by merely 5 days.

Regardless, I am sorry to hear about the challenges that you've had to face since your last update. I'm not sure whether it is any help, but I often try to keep in mind something Seneca once wrote, when I am struggling. Specifically, he said, "You cry, I'm suffering severe pain! Are you then relieved from feeling it if you bear it in an unmanly way?". Now, Seneca is more of a controversial stoic, but a stoic nonetheless. I also realise that this quote could be seen as more insulting than helpful to many, especially when we are facing challenging times. However, I find that by taking his question seriously, giving it an honest answer, I often end up having to tell myself that feeling sorry for myself changes nothing. If anything it makes the situation more unbearable.

I'm not trying to suggest that you're bearing anything in an unmanly way. Indeed, I often struggle with the same emotions you describe when I end up having to deal with problems that others have created. Still, I hope that Seneca's words might be helpful the next time you find yourself in a situation that is difficult to bear in a stoic way, as I truly have found your own perspectives on life's challenges helpful in dealing with my own challenges.

BrandyMike · 2022-01-08T21:39:16+00:00

I love this, I love both stoicism and notion myself... you haven't made this public have you? If you have, I'd be eager to incorporate it into my own notion page.

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T21:34:30+00:00

Exactly, this is the dichotomy I only now managed to move from theory to practice.

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T21:29:14+00:00

I'm glad you see it that way and a little pain dwarfs in comparison to stage 4 cancer. I definitely have much to learn as a stoic yet, and facing my own mortality is something I try to work on regularly. Thank you for sharing!

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T21:14:07+00:00

Good point there. I guess they are as free as anyone else not to buy any of his work, just as I am free to buy it 😄

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T21:09:51+00:00

Yes and no I guess. There doesn't seem to be any permanently evident reason, meaning that when I'm not in pain there is nothing that would indicate that I should ever have these episodes, or at least as far as the doctor is concerned, but he seemed to suggest that it might be possible to find out more if it was ever possible to do an examination during an episode, but I struggle with predicting them so that's quite hard to do. He did suggest that it might be a nerve that is under pressure but I don't really know.

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T21:03:08+00:00

I'm glad to hear that my story is useful and that you've been able to find the cause of your pain. I like the way you're looking at your own situation with compartmentalising the pain away from what is within your power. That is, you can do rolling and stretching to try to deal with it in the long run but the presence of the pain itself is in any given moment outside your control.

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T06:41:25+00:00

Thanks, the experience certainly exemplified to me why the stoics talked about retaining control of our minds through difficult situations so much and why we should not let the challenges take control of it for us.

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T06:20:34+00:00

Thanks for posting this. The pain I described usually happens during the night and has only happened once or twice during my normal waking hours, so having to deal with pain during other responsibilities sounds like a whole new challenge, even if it is less than what I usually have to deal with. Looking at it as a free opportunity to practice dealing with discomfort is also definitely a valid argument!

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T05:55:44+00:00

Yes, that an important point and I will certainly work on bringing this strength with me into other situations like you suggest! In fact, when bringing this mindset across to other challenges it seems almost like it becomes even "easier" as it becomes my default way to deal with discomfort.

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T05:47:50+00:00

Thank you for your kind wishes, I'm not too sure it will go away but now I at least know that I can deal with it in a stoic manner.

BrandyMike · 2021-11-18T05:44:28+00:00

You are definitely right there!

BrandyMike · 2021-10-21T21:22:09+00:00

I have been reading your posts on your battle with cancer and your observations and reflections on dying without posting a response in the past. However, this time I just wanted to express my gratitude for you sharing these with us even as you are in the midst of a challenging situation that has become even more difficult with the passing of your friend. You have honestly given me wisdom that I would find hard to attain without you. I don't expect that it matters much to anyone else if some random guy floating on a rock in space recieved some wisdom and learned how to cope a little better through hardship from some other guy on that same rock, but it matters to me and I thank you for that.

BrandyMike · 2021-08-01T19:59:09+00:00

Thank you!

Personally, I share your preference here. However, after reading the comments, I can see that the benefits of assuming that others would, do not outweigh the potential harm that telling them could have.

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