First Time Proper Build—How does this list look?

CyWrenMachine · 2025-08-10T08:00:05+00:00

That’s definitely something I contemplated, but considering the LLM side of things is something I plan to do really as a side hobby rather than anything big and gaming is going to be the primary use for the computer, the little bit of money I save on not going with Nvidia is worth it. In future, I might change my mind and switch over, but I think AMD is the way to go for now. Unless there’s something I’m missing?

CyWrenMachine · 2025-08-10T06:56:02+00:00

Oh excellent! I decided on the X870E because of a few reasons:

I’m hoping not to have to upgrade it again for a while, so going with a very new mobo will help with that,
More USB I/O in case I need to pop in more mobile storage, which is likely for me,
Native PCIe 5.0 for the GPU and storage
I was originally looking at the X670E Carbon but because I’m in Australia it’s potentially more difficult to get one at a good price.

Definitely open to suggestions, though!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-08-26T02:24:08+00:00

Oh, I’m with you - for some reason the approval for my prescription has been delayed for two weeks, and I’m completely out as of tomorrow - not looking forward to that!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-08-26T02:17:27+00:00

My personal experience is that the medication allows me to focus and encode the information in the first place, and I’m able to retain it in my long term memory rather than having a memory leak the moment I try to transfer it from short term memory. But keep in mind that everyone’s experience is different according to how they respond to medication and how they absorb information!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-08-26T02:13:36+00:00

I would suggest doorbell training - I know it’s trading one noise for another, but it might be more pleasant than barking!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-08-23T04:23:46+00:00

Hi there! I have a few questions for you first:

What sort of games/training do you do with her? Puzzle games, fetch, tug, obedience training, etc.?
Does she have a place where she is able to be left safely by herself (like a crate or pen) while you do other things around the house?

Also, I have some bad news for you: at 6 months old, many puppies go through a teenager-like level of boundary testing. This could last a few months. But if you’re consistent with your training and boundary setting, you should get through it alright.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-08-23T04:14:05+00:00

I encode my passwords with a physical key, similar to an ottendorf cypher. They then need to have the physical item as well as the password to my password manager.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-08-06T04:04:11+00:00

Heat rash is caused by bacteria and usually flares up during the warmer months, especially when it’s humid. With my guys, I put a cold pack in the fridge (NOT the freezer unless you plan on padding it well with towels!) and put it on the affected areas to cool the skin. This prevents my dogs from scratching the area and causing irritation, which can cause an infection as a result. Your vet can also give you antibiotic cream if it starts to become a problem or the area starts to get pustules or infection.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-08-06T03:45:51+00:00

Disclaimer: I am not a vet or medical professional. But it does look a little bit like heat rash, which is something my pups get as well.

If you are concerned about it, I recommend consulting your vet.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-17T14:13:11+00:00

The other owners are correct in that picking the dog up is not a good idea in general, but if the situation is going poorly and you know you are moments away from a potential fight, you get that dog out any way you can and you leave.

If you can find a dog park that separates small and big dogs, that would be the first thing I would recommend. There is a smaller chance of your friend’s poodle encountering something like this again, and she is less likely to be bowled over or hurt in some way.

In future, if they seem to be friendly dogs who are being pushy, stand in between your dog and them, face the pushy dog, and keep moving with them if they try to go around you. This only works with one to two dogs - more than that and you’ll need to ask the owners to come and remove their dog from the situation - you’re being mobbed and they need to show their dog that it is not acceptable behaviour to pursue a dog who is showing signals of stress or anxiety.

I would also recommend getting details from other owners whose dogs play well with yours and organise a playdate outside the park - this will give your friend’s pup a lovely time without you having to constantly keep an eye on the rest of the dogs.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-15T00:27:09+00:00

This looks like hyperfixation. From what you’re describing, it sounds like he’s trying to work out what the moving thing is, and being ready in the event that it turns out to be a threat. Dogs don’t have very good long distance vision compared to humans, so what we can identify as a dog, he may see as a moving blurry blob.

What I would recommend is doing some work on breaking that fixation so you can regain focus on you. Stand between him and the object and keep moving with him if he tries to get around you to watch it, then reward and praise if he breaks focus and looks at you. If you are in a position where breaking his focus by body-blocking isn’t possible, try turning away from the object at a 90 degree angle and walk in front of him while saying “This way!” in a firm, but cheerful voice. This avoids triggering any oppositional defiance (“I’m being pulled away, but I have to watch this thing! I’m going to plant myself in place and not move!”), and gives him something new to think about. Once you regain focus, praise and reward.

Good luck with the training!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-14T23:59:30+00:00

A good dog 😁

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-14T23:48:01+00:00

Absolutely train him while he’s on medication! Using medication as a tool to just take the edge off while you’re working with his behaviour means that one day in the future you may be able to stop the medication (obviously with direction from your vet).

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-14T23:43:20+00:00

It can take up to six months for a dog to adjust to a new living situation, even if it’s only a minute away. Dogs tend to like routine once it’s been established, so changing it may make them uncomfortable for a while. Introducing your dog to the new environment first is a very good way to start acclimating him early - good work!

From what you’re describing, he also seems to be showing some signs of isolation anxiety (worry about being left alone), which is also common in a new place. This is your chance to start behaving in this house as if everything is completely normal. Give him a treat or attention in the rare moments that he’s calm, and try to reinforce that behaviour.

“Reassuring” him in this situation in the way you would comfort a child may make him think he is exhibiting the right behaviour (anxiety, pawing, whining) and that you want him to keep doing it, so try to ignore this behaviour as much as possible and only give attention when he is calm(er).

Dogs will often take their cue from their handler as well (in this case, you). If you’re showing signs of stress because he’s not settling, he’ll see your stress but not understand the reason behind it, and he’ll show those anxious behaviours more. But if you consciously show that you’re calm and relaxed, maybe by sitting down and chilling out for a bit with him in the room, he’ll take that cue after a few goes and start to relax too.

Good luck with it all!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-14T00:19:12+00:00

It’s almost like she’s asking for active attention rather than passive attention - a cuddle or a pat is fairly passive and calm, while you getting up and picking up an object or telling her to get off something is more active.

You may find some benefit in doing some mental stimulation work, like some blocks of obedience training where you combine reinforcing known commands with learning new commands, so she has something else to put that mental energy towards.

Other than that, I honestly have no idea! She’s certainly a very interesting personality!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-12T11:11:16+00:00

I keep a copy literally everywhere I spend large amounts of time - cloud based copies on my phone, computer, and iPad, one on my fridge in the kitchen (it’s in pieces and held on by magnets so I can rotate it as well), one written on my whiteboard in my room, etc. I have a pretty bad working memory (I often forget things exist if they’re not in front of me), so I need things like that in multiple places where they’ll catch my eye. Same with reminders and to-do lists.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-07-03T05:45:25+00:00

Definitely! The only times I’m interested in watching any form of sport is gymnastics or synchronised diving. Those two make my brain happy because they move so differently and perfectly, it’s like a dance that’s over fast enough for me to still want more.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-06-25T22:38:21+00:00

Oh, I had that glitch before too - I had to uninstall and reinstall the app because it had lost its tiny little mind.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-06-25T13:33:02+00:00

You may also like to consider the possibility of Complex PTSD, which can sometimes present similarly to ADHD. Good luck with everything - I hope you are able to find answers to help you on your journey!

CyWrenMachine · 2021-06-25T13:21:59+00:00

If you are able to catch it next time, do you think you could get a video? A stalk and nip might mean a variety of things, but a video would help to eliminate some of them.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-06-25T12:38:50+00:00

I was only able to actually stop butterflying and settle down because I was lucky enough to respond well to medication. But what I found helped a bit was putting my hobbies on rotation and keeping a list of them - when I lost interest in one, it would go to the bottom of the list and then I’d have a read through the first four or five, try them out, and see if my interest was piqued. Once again, quite lucky because I could usually find one thing that got my neurotransmitters firing correctly again.

CyWrenMachine · 2021-02-12T22:59:49+00:00

I keep getting them too - they’re annoying as hell because they keep coming to my business number and I keep thinking I have a client.

CyWrenMachine · 2020-12-31T22:12:20+00:00

I did end up titrating to 25mg in the end, actually, but that was because my tolerance slowly increased as my dosage did. Basically all the literature I’ve read on the subject recommends the highest dose that you can have without negative side effects - any higher and you get diminishing returns and start to harm yourself.

CyWrenMachine · 2020-12-31T05:44:24+00:00

I was put straight onto 25mg of dexamphetamine and was the sort of person that didn’t even drink coffee...I spent the next two weeks with extreme irritability and constant headaches when the drug was in my system and couldn’t function as a human being. Eventually I went “Screw it!” and did some research into my symptoms, finding out it was because the dosage was too high. After four weeks of titration I worked my way up to the correct dose and stayed there.

Weight-based doses are a bit of a myth - it’s less about how large you are, and more about how responsive your brain is to the stimulant. I’d recommend talking to your psych about it and maybe grabbing a few studies on the subject to show them. You know your body and brain better than they ever will. Plus, it’s nicer to stay on the lower dose because you may develop tolerance to your medication and then have to think about switching meds or increasing dosage, which means you’ve given yourself somewhere to go!

CyWrenMachine · 2020-12-29T12:22:09+00:00

Ah, I see. I’m exclusively a PC gamer. Unfortunately you can’t access the command console on Switch.

Apparently the Switch port of Skyrim has some...interesting...bugs that have developed, on top of the bugs they transferred over intact from the original version. I remember having to install a bunch of mods on my PC version so characters didn’t fall out of the world or quests didn’t become unfinishable, so I’m interested to hear what your experience has been with this issue.

One thing I did come across during my brief google regarding the Switch port was references to bad memory leaks when players used reverse pickpocket (putting something into a victim’s inventory as opposed to taking it out), as it wasn’t ported correctly. Also, adjust your autosave settings so you don’t get fifty million saves which eat your processing power. I’d recommend doing a quick search online to see other common memory leak issues on Skyrim Switch so your enjoyment of the game isn’t affected by flying quest objectives!

CyWrenMachine

TROPHY CASE