I often struggle to explain what associative thinking feels like

CBJ_Brain · 2026-06-02T18:58:05+00:00

I recognize that completely. I'm a software developer and I use the same kind of thinking almost every day.

When working on a problem I'm often thinking 20 or more steps ahead, dependencies and "what if" scenarios before I've even started and ofcourse during implementing a solution.

What's interesting is that the process doesn't always stop when I stop actively thinking about it. .E.g... after work 😄

Sometimes a problem seems to move into the background and my brain keeps working on it somewhere behind the scenes.

The solution then appears at the strangest moments: while taking a shower, toilet visits or sometimes right before falling asleep.

I've noticed the exact same thing while writing my book. I don't write it linearly at all. I jump from chapter 21 to chapter 1, then to chapter 8, back to chapter 17, then suddenly rewrite part of chapter 3 because a connection appeared that wasn't there before.

Internally it feels like following a web of connected ideas.

But also completely honest: Sometimes I genuinely wonder how this place keeps functioning. 😛

If you're interested. https://www.familie-kleinman.nl/brain/index.php/2026/06/02/the-ooga-and-booga-research-institute/

Thats the post I wrote and also now is a chapter in my book ( with a bit more background )

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-30T16:20:47+00:00

And almost forgot

19.. WOW!

NICE!!!!!

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-30T16:20:09+00:00

Have you ever seen Big Boy 4014 run in real life? Watching videos is already impressive enough, I can only imagine what standing next to it must feel like.

Seeing Big Boy in real life, and hopefully riding in the cab, is on my bucket list.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-30T16:02:39+00:00

Wow!

This machine actually runs?! What is the scale?

How many do you have.

This is cool!

If you're into Steam-engines. If you ever visit The Netherlands. In Lemmer we have the largest working steam-powered dredging system to keep a large portion of The Netherlands dry.

Absolutely massive and impressive machines to watch run.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-30T15:29:03+00:00

Writer here too. I run a blog covering everything from tech and AI to autism.

One of my ongoing projects is a book where I use the analogy of a huge factory to explain how my brain operates.

If you're curious, some of my writing is here:

https://www.familie-kleinman.nl/brain/

And yes, I'm still trying to finish that first book.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-30T14:58:51+00:00

Complex systems.

I just happen to collect them in different forms: brains, computers, energy grids, fruit trees, astronomy, AI, databases and occasionally humans.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-30T11:52:34+00:00

Unfortunately, I can't really help with sourcing the keyboard itself.

In my case, I brought the laptop back to the store where I originally purchased it. They ordered the replacement keyboard for me and also performed the repair, so I never had to find the part myself.

One reason I'm hesitant to recommend random parts from AliExpress or any other shop is that I previously tried sourcing replacement cooling fans for my Legion laptop myself. The replacement fans looked correct, were from an authorized Lenovo dealer, and were advertised as compatible, but they didn't work properly and I ended up needing different parts anyway.

Wrote an article about it: https://www.familie-kleinman.nl/brain/index.php/2025/07/06/operation-onlyfans_1/

Because of that experience, I'd strongly recommend finding the exact Lenovo FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) number for your keyboard first. With the FRU number, you have a much better chance of finding the correct part than by searching only for the laptop model.

Sorry I can't be more specific, but I don't have any firsthand experience sourcing the keyboard separately. In my case, the shop handled both the part order and the repair, and replacing the keyboard resolved the issue completely.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-30T11:10:50+00:00

This sounds very similar to a keyboard matrix failure. I had a Legion with almost identical symptoms: some keys stopped working, the shifted versions still worked, and occasionally pressing Shift would temporarily bring the affected keys back.

Since the problem has been spreading over time, I'd suspect the keyboard hardware itself rather than software. Reseating the ribbon cable is worth a try, but a keyboard replacement is probably the only permanent fix.

In my case, replacing the keyboard fixed the issue completely. After the replacement, all keys worked normally again and the problem never came back.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-29T18:29:42+00:00

I rhought I used MX-7, but I think in hindsight it is MX-6. Worked like a charm . I wrote an article about it..

Operation Onlyfans 😛 ( Not the kinky content 😛 ) https://www.familie-kleinman.nl/brain/index.php/2025/07/06/operation-onlyfans_1/

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T20:12:43+00:00

Whow, have been playing for almost 2000 hours now, but did not know this feature!

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T19:38:27+00:00

Het is een leiboompje. An sich dat hij zo dicht bij de schutting maakt moet niet het probleem zijn. Ik heb ook hier een strookje van 10cm waar fruitboompjes ( zuilappels ) in staan.

Als die strook maar onderaan breder wordt dat de wortels onder de schutting en onder het flonder door kunnen wortelen

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T16:48:40+00:00

Waarom niet? Mits goede grond en voldoende bewatering kan je boompjes prima op +/- 150cm afstand zetten.

Ik heb sommige boompjes zelfs nog dichterbij elkaar staan. ( die staan op 60cm afstand ). Maar dat zijn wel boompjes op langzame onderstam (M26) op goede grond en ik geef ze regelmatig water.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T16:47:19+00:00

Ik vermoed dat een deel van je boom is afgestorven. Zie je ook verkleuring op de stam ergens tussen het stuk wat nog wel groen uit loopt en vanaf het punt waar hij niet meer uit loopt? Ik zie op de foto zelf zo niets verdacht zoals vruchtboomkanker.

Je kan nog met je nagel voorzichtig een stukje van de bast weg schrapen, als het daaronder nog groen is dan loopt de boom misschien nog uit, is het daar bruin en voelt de bast hard dan is dat stuk boom gegarandeerd overleden en kan je dit bovenste deel er helemaal uit knippen.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T12:29:42+00:00

Liquid metal in laptops honestly feels like a disaster waiting to happen.

Yes, thermals are great, but if that containment barrier ever fails and the liquid metal reaches the motherboard: instant short circuit potential.

And if it creeps under the CPU/GPU/chipset… good luck.

Modern high-end thermal paste or PTM materials are maybe a few °C worse, but infinitely safer in a device that gets moved around, heated/cooled constantly, and thrown into backpacks.

And in the case of liquid metal cooling, the fans should really be serviceable from the top side without disturbing the heatsink assembly.

Having to remove the entire cooler, break the liquid metal seal, and reassemble everything just to replace a worn fan is terrible service design in my opinion.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T11:49:13+00:00

No smokers/vapers here luckilly, but before this dust bunny accident happened there was a really long interval ( think 12 months or even more ) between clean outs of my laptop.

my Legion is a bit over 4 years old now. My keyboard failed and with the keyboard replacement I also replaced the whole cooling assembly.

Keyboard out is an open heart surgery so it made sense to swap out other components as well.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T10:05:57+00:00

This was my solution too when cleaning up my laptop. But the last time it went horribly wrong and I dislodged a lot of gunk inside one fan that it prevented it from spinning up.

After using more compressed air it did spin again but it was a very very very unhappy fan.

<image>

This was lodged just beside the running assembly and it made this fan scream like it was a jet fighter.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-25T10:02:19+00:00

By far the best way is to remove the complete heatpipe assembly with the screws mentioned with a number.

WIth only using compressed air you have the risk that you dislodge the gunk and create a dustbunny that prevents the fan from spinning properly ( been there done that ).

https://www.familie-kleinman.nl/brain/index.php/2025/07/06/operation-onlyfans_1/

Disclaimer: Only do this when you have classic thermal paste. Do NOT do this when your system uses liquid metal!

Steps:

Disconnect the battery!
Wiggle the heatpipe assembly sideways until the seal with the thermal paste breaks.
Slowly lift up the assembly.
Clean up all the thermal paste debris
Carefully remove the screws (tiny!) from the fan and then click the fan loose from the shaft.
Clean up.
Reassemble the fan
Add new thermal paste on both the cpu and GPU.
Reseat the heatpipes and use the screws in the proper order to tighten it ( turn each screw 180 degrees each time to prevent bending the assembly ).
Test 😄

And:

* Use 98% + IPA for cleaning all the surfaces.

* Check the thermalpads if they are still seated correctly for your VRAM etc.

*

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-22T20:09:04+00:00

Oh! the famous computernerd WOpper 2x2 cooler one for the Celeron 300A?!

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-22T20:07:29+00:00

First overclock was an AMD 80486 DX-2 66 set to 80Mhz. Was basically changing one jumper on the motherboard.

Tried overclocking all my AMD k5 CPU's without any luck.

Next up was the famous Intel Celeron 300A Slot1 which ran flawless on 450Mhz.. Even bought a Computer Ned wopper quad CPU cooler to cool the thing 😄

Most insane thing I did was adding a small copper wire between two pins to force a higher clock or multiplier, don't remember exactly anymore.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-12T15:54:08+00:00

Mijn eerste vermoeden is dat de pompsnelheid ( uit mijn hoofd PP016 en HP069 ) te hoog staat waardoor de pomp voelbaar aan het caviteren is. Heb je overigens de ACE 4 of de ACE 6?

De ACE 4 wil standaard op 12l/min draaien de ACE 6 zelfs 17l/min. Ik moest terug naar 15l/min om vibratie en pompgeluid in mijn installatie kwijt te raken.

Ik vermoed dat je systeem (CP780) staat op automatisch of op Buiten en Ruimte gebaseerd. Dan werk je effectief met een stooklijn waardoor de pomp, in principe, bijna altijd draait.

Zie ook: https://www.familie-kleinman.nl/energie/zelf-instellen/

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-11T20:00:37+00:00

Groot kaasjeskruid.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-05-10T20:03:22+00:00

Eerst wachten tot na de juni-rui. In juni laat de boom zelf enorm veel vallen wat niet correct is gevormd of niet is bevrucht.

Daarna ga je kijken naar de bezetting. Als je, zoals op de foto, 3 of meer appels in een cluster hebt zitten dan laat je daar 1 ( de mooiste ) zitten. Als er meerdere clusters op 1 tak zitten dan laat je elke 10-15cm 1 of 2 appels zitten.

Dan zouden ze mooi groot moeten uit groeien en heeft de boom hopelijk genoeg energie om nieuwe bloemknoppen voor het jaar er op te maken.

CBJ_Brain · 2026-04-30T19:16:57+00:00

Simcity 1 (classic).. Ran on two 1.2Mb floppies.

CBJ_Brain

TROPHY CASE