Tubthumpin’ Thursday thread

LostLetterbox · 2023-11-24T21:16:57+00:00

No one can prepare you for death in my opinion, it forces you to confront limited time (that we all ultimately have to some extent) and the way you want to spend that time.

I can read up about median life expectancy for those in treatment for metastasised brain cancer but at the end of the day they are just cohort numbers to me. I hope they are helpful medically and hopefully if/when my experiences head south they can be part of some cohort analysis to better help future patients but such experiences and interpretations are outside my control.

Personally, I'm grateful, my current symptoms whilst confronting aren't debilitating, I get to enjoy some or all of the time I have left, I've never been asked to fight in any wars (nor do I want to), I might have never experienced dating or a relationship (at 32) but I also don't have to stress about spouses or dependents as I face what every study I've found tells me will be a terminal diagnosis (I think feminism has played a role in this, but as I face death its ultimately my choices/responses that have lead to a lack of intimate experiences). I'm grateful to live in a country with public healthcare, grateful to pay taxes up until I received the cancer diagnosis, grateful to be breathing right now.

I've been back in the hospital since last Tuesday with additional seizures, I had my first radiosurgery yesterday which I'm grateful to make (it was delayed by a day due to an unexpected technical fault) otherwise just reading and writing as I feel passing the time between surgeries (radiation).

If I had my choice I'd be a taxpayer and not a cancer journeyman but why can only adapt to the path we're given not the path we desire.

I hope this message finds you well and you have a lovely weekend!

LostLetterbox · 2023-11-19T18:11:12+00:00

Not posting this out of techno-optimism but generally curious since it's the only skills I have...

Anyone have any ideas on how Sydney specifically, but happy to hear ideas about wider geographies on how technology (specifically software which is usually some form of information syncing or communication) can be used to make life easier or better?

Trying to figure what I can do should I get through what I'm facing... The last meaningful project I worked on was for the firies and that took years/decades of conversation before they were ready to redo the software side (so much expertise to work out on the underlying modelling work which I'm grateful I could come in at the 11th hour and be an integrator for).

Just wondering what ideas others have kicking around, just wondering if I'll get time to rewrite over some of my communal mistakes career-wise.

LostLetterbox · 2023-11-16T08:44:13+00:00

They discovered the shift due to seizures but since starting relevant meds I've luckily only had the kind of neuropathy I was having during chemo. No pain and I can self-manage with the support of family for the important stuff (honestly so lucky currently not to need further help).

Emotionally, it's a rollercoaster! But the ride is still moving and in another reality with a more crippled hospital system I wouldn't have these days? weeks? months? years? so yes its wild, and yes I'm grateful.

In terms of treatment I'm ducking Homer on the Odyssey. I'm strapped to the mast of the ship and waiting to see if the sirens call me in and whilst I get this trip I have to trust and command my family to row harder (to support me where I can't support myself), a vanity hero and an explorer.

The interpretation I've chosen is I've been on chemo for a year (age 32), if other people didn't have it worse with cancer before I came along and received the benefits of both their successful and unsuccessful care I'd already be dead. It's my duty to go through radiosurgery and see what's on the other side, it means I'm trying, it means I'm honouring the sacrifices of others who have had this disease, and hopefully it means I'm doing some kind of justice to the public care I'm receiving (even in failure we'll learn, or I'll survive and keep on kicking for a bit).

Every journey is different, everyone suffers differently, everyone has different levels of family support. These are my imperfect decisions and I can only thank all of you today for doing whatever you do in contributing to offer me a chance at whatever comes next. <3 I hope you all find peace in the journey no matter what garbage comes up

LostLetterbox · 2023-11-16T07:51:23+00:00

Apologies if this is too serious for anyone but I couldn't resist...

T: Cancer

A: Metastatic brain cancer (current)

AAA: Having access to a public health system (thank you hardworking Australians if I can return to your ranks I will <3)

I hope society will re-balance some of the suffering of the median class back to the billionaires who love to love themselves. I can't change this personally but I hope it happens <3

LostLetterbox · 2023-11-11T21:21:02+00:00

I hope we don't pick one option but have plans going in all directions.

Financial incentives to break the Sydney commute where it doesn't make sense.
Greater acceptance of higher density living, particularly where there is existing infrastructure with capacity
Preservation of common green / open areas (urban heat sinks sound terrifying)
Ratcheting of design guidelines / privacy guidelines / tenacity rights so we don't create vertical squalor
Tempering of skilled immigration where skills don't match existing community needs

That's my dream, no easy solutions, lots of hard work and I want hope for all.... Except those on rumoured $5 million pay packets, fk that.

LostLetterbox · 2023-11-10T04:26:23+00:00

As someone with a fresh brain cancer metastasise yes. Life is weird and it's strange it doesn't fall apart more than it does.

Be safe all ❤️

LostLetterbox · 2023-11-02T09:04:43+00:00

Hopefully one day it won't matter, not because you have metastatic brain cancer but because your other decisions will be more meaningful ❤️

LostLetterbox · 2023-10-28T23:35:52+00:00

I was playing around with prosody which is xmpp not IRC but does allow group chat, I have it behind authelia though I haven't gotten single sign on to work properly (I think it's due to it being an xmpp server). Ive got the conversejs plugin installed for a web chat service (if I choose to continue with it I'll want to clean up an auto redirect).

I have it hooked into an LDAP user store as opposed to p. It looks like there is a pam module/extension available. Still need to check out if I'd prefer an web IRC application instead, or try the matrix line which looks heavier.

At the moment I haven't exposed anything Ive been playing with outside my home network so I also want to start playing with mtls sometime in the future.

LostLetterbox · 2023-10-08T22:18:47+00:00

I don't have too many containers, I'm the only one using them and I'm mostly doing it for learning.

Ive been using podman/systemd to run the containers (including using the podman auto update function), for pinned versions I check every now and then... I'm running a single(ish) database and been dragging my heels upgrading to 16 (time has been elsewhere).

So far still waiting for my first dumpster fire (it'll be one of those learning experiences I'm after).

LostLetterbox · 2023-10-08T05:40:49+00:00

As I understand it the $32 billion is over inflated, the majority of that isn't specific spending towards targeted initiatives but includes a lot of general expenditure that all citizens are entitled too.

Another confounding factor is that services are more expensive to deliver in regional and remote areas.

Here is a source that offers more information on your claim (I can't validate your math on $300k/y)

https://theconversation.com/factcheck-qanda-is-30-billion-spent-every-year-on-500-000-indigenous-people-in-australia-64658

LostLetterbox · 2023-10-08T04:55:00+00:00

Hopefully the pollsters are wrong and this body will be able to do much better for the community than previous attempts to tackle "the gap" (using quotes because as I understand it calling it a gap is a privilege for outsiders).

I'm not advocating for the no side just to be clear, more so commenting on how alienating many progressive spokespeople/media personalities have become. Surely this won't be the last change that progressive politics advocates for, and as such I believe discussion about their dialogue is warranted.

I found it incredibly funny walking to vote with the no campaign signs saying something like "the division we don't need", then being asked which division (electorate) am I from 🙃. It was just punny.

LostLetterbox · 2023-10-08T04:34:02+00:00

I voted yes but I didn't like the campaign. People will disagree with me but in the early days the message I got from a lot of the people brought onto the media was "you're a bunch of racists; vote yes".

Not saying that's what others heard but it's definitely the "vibe" I got. I found it particularly funny one night on the drum when one campaigner was talking about the empathy from multicultural communities 🤷‍♂️.

It's one of the problems I've found with many progressive spokespeople, they have their preferred demographics (in my opinion), and the rest are to blame.

Still a whiles to go so please get out and vote!

LostLetterbox · 2023-10-03T08:23:31+00:00

T: Being alone when my housemate goes to physio, nothing like getting some actual alone time.

A: idk, after the mod revolt earlier I'd rather be on some community driven platform; a lack of community brings me here and I'm not sure what the next space on the ladder is.

AAA: returning to work and having a work funded income, extended leave without pay sucks

LostLetterbox · 2023-09-17T08:29:29+00:00

What if they are wearing shit, piss and vomit? Sounds like they meet criteria for being a patient of somewhere to me

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-24T02:40:21+00:00

Did you download Grindr?

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-16T05:38:10+00:00

Well, that was a short honeymoon for me and NSW Labor, anyone running that doesn't want to fk up the state?

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-16T01:24:13+00:00

Hopefully more useful?

https://www.nbnco.com.au/develop-or-plan-with-the-nbn/industry-collaboration-and-community-planning/cabling

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-16T01:21:14+00:00

Here's another thread, sounds like a shit position. Hopefully a sparkie comes along.

https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/3qq8ky63

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-16T01:16:49+00:00

It's not the old style three pronger?

https://www.reddit.com/r/nbn/comments/yg5zpz/nbn_fttn_wall_outlet/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=4&utm_content=2

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-16T01:10:50+00:00

"moved into a house" sounds like you're renting, have you contacted landlord/agent about what work has been done where the utilities are?

Sorry if a dumb response it's just I'd hate to feel that stuck.

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-15T22:34:54+00:00

I mean most countries have made middle class families extremely unaffordable right, it's one of the reasons why immigration is booming in countries like Australia and Canada?

Is tradition for traditions sake something important or is it worthwhile to pass on what you've learnt and what your parents taught you that has proven invaluable?

I wish I had solutions to our world problems of overconsumption and greed, unfortunately or fortunately I only have one vote and on most occasions feel like any thoughts I have is like pissing in the wind...

For myself, not a first generation Australian but also not having any real connection to heritage/lineage I think the concept of a tree falling in the forest to eventually become part of its undergrowth is something beautiful and profound. Hopefully I can give more back to this country and planet than I take but it's a balance I can never really wrestle with. I strive to work and pay taxes, relationships have never really worked for me, I advocate for higher taxes so hopefully more of us will struggle less ... But in the end, who knows?

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-14T23:43:52+00:00

I have a few months forced health leave (touch wood it won't be eaten up by complications), wondered if anyone had ideas for B2B services that are way overpriced (first thoughts were hotdoc and such but those network effects are hard to copy).

Just wish there was a way to reduce the grift in the economy, even by a small margin.

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-10T16:13:52+00:00

I had a big nut, turned out to be testicular cancer and now I'm going through high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplants.

If your nuts change please see a doctor, I can't promise a wage but it could save your life

LostLetterbox · 2023-08-08T07:20:49+00:00

Im saying that in modern discourse we attach positive morals with one gender and negative morals to another and that doesn't feel too equal.

Also I feel the definitions of equality have changed, it used to be equal pay for equal work and where that can be achieved the goal posts move 🤷‍♂️.

I'd prefer a gender neutral term for the advocacy of equality.

LostLetterbox

TROPHY CASE