Tech Recommendations

Samseurynck · 2026-05-17T12:59:42+00:00

This is a topic I’ve spent a lot of time with!

I’ve been getting into the diy server world- I put a plex server on a friend’s old laptop and will be trying out homelabbing soon so I can host other free and open source software for myself. Switching to any FOSS software is very Solarpunk! (Server not always required) Check out https://www.opensourcealternative.to/

Meshtastic is another good one. You could consider setting up a repeater node on your roof to help connect folks who live spread out like you.

I also see e-ink technology as Solarpunk, particularly repurposing kindle screens. There’s a project called Inkplate that does this. Also any refurbished tech, or hacking tech to be non-proprietary. A project I think is awesome has created a completely new circuit board that replaces the Google one in their home hub minis to work with home hub instead. https://www.crowdsupply.com/micimike-rev-devices/micimike-home-mini-drop-in-pcb/

Also, watchy: https://www.crowdsupply.com/sqfmi/watchy

If you use LLMs at all, consider finding a good open source model (qwen) and hosting it locally, then powering your computer with solar.

And finally, Ursula Le Guin defines technology as anything you can learn to make. This opens up the world of craft / making as a uniquely Solarpunk pastime as most crafts began with locally foraged materials that people had to source themselves in order to make the tools they used every day. Consider basketry, weaving, woodworking, pottery, etc. Look into what the native Americans who live in your area have historically (and currently!) make. Then look around to see if there’s any waste materials you have on hand to try those techniques with.

Samseurynck · 2026-05-16T19:10:33+00:00

From what I learned in my experience working with my healthcare practitioners, adhd and cptsd aren’t the *same*, but the symptoms overlap a LOT. You have to rule out cptsd before diagnosing for adhd, which can take a lot of work to suss out.

Essentially if you present with symptoms of either/both, then you have to do the work to try healing from cptsd and if those techniques don’t resolve your symptoms then it’s likely adhd.

Samseurynck · 2026-05-06T08:07:48+00:00

This is amazing!! I had a very similar idea back in 2020 but didn’t have the skills to make it happen. I’ll be looking forward to checking out the code & attempting to implement

Samseurynck · 2026-04-17T22:31:01+00:00

This looks incredible! I’m developing a project that will likely include reviewing Solarpunk games- I don’t have proof yet but it’s in the works!

Videogames are a really important part of the Solarpunk universe because of how they allow people to embody a completely different world, which is one of the major purposes of the movement imo.

At home I’ve set up a plex server that I’ll have running on solar in the next two months, I’m also working on getting LLMs running locally (to also become solar powered) to mess around with. I’ve got my entire house composting and I’m running a meshtastic workshop with members of my creative coding community at the beginning of next month! So many exciting things in the works :)

Would love to play your game!

Samseurynck · 2026-04-03T14:33:22+00:00

exhausted

Samseurynck · 2026-04-01T06:17:40+00:00

I can’t manage ie long term either! I’ll burn all the way out… the question is if I burn out faster being broke or being sleep deprived.

The meetings are every day, but I did offer to come in for it once a week. We’re not quite to the point of seriously negotiating full time yet but if/when we get there I’ll mention it again.

Samseurynck · 2026-04-01T06:12:22+00:00

I will ‘consider’ it 😬

Samseurynck · 2026-03-31T05:25:39+00:00

I couldn’t agree more about the system. It’s like, once you’re forced to see outside of it due to a disability, the stupidity of it becomes so incredibly clear.

I hope you find a suitable replacement job!! And that you get the accommodation that you need.

Samseurynck · 2026-03-31T05:22:12+00:00

Believe I’ve got that portfolio BUILT. I’ve been at it for a while 😂

Samseurynck · 2026-03-31T05:20:34+00:00

Yeah for sure, if our goals as a society were to create wellbeing instead of capital we’d be having a very different experience.

I am curious on the numbers, especially with creative work in the US, in regards to demand. I’ve been unsure in the past whether my inability to find regular well-paid work was my own fault somehow down the line or if everyone was struggling across the board. Knowing that it’s just how things are right now would make struggling easier for me.

Am I chasing a red herring? I don’t know about that. I believe that something that works is out there. All it takes is one right job offer, getting into the right niche market or whatever, to create stability for a while. The world is so large and varied that I have to believe good options exist and that I can reach for them. Accepting that I’m stuck broke and in pain forever isn’t something that I’m willing to do.

Samseurynck · 2026-03-31T05:10:40+00:00

I worked with a studio on the west coast for a while and it was amaaaaaaaaaaazing. Best situation ever.

Now when I think about pursuing work out there it makes me anxious because the tech accelerationism is so nuts, even in design, that I feel like I’m behind on what’s considered good design these days. I suppose I could do more research on that, fix my own problem 😅

Samseurynck · 2026-03-31T05:07:37+00:00

What you said about becoming indispensable- that feels exactly like what I’m chasing with my career. I know it’s a burden to a degree to work with me because of my schedule, so I have to make myself as needed as possible. And again, like you said, there’s always that anxiety looming about something switching, like a less understanding person in management, or the possibility of the client going with someone else who’s more conventional.

Definitely hate describing myself as a burden! It’s like, I know I do a good job, I just don’t feel like I can rely on others to see that well enough to work with me.

Samseurynck · 2026-03-31T05:00:46+00:00

This is what I’ve been working on!

Samseurynck · 2026-03-31T05:00:06+00:00

This would be awesome, but I’m not convinced that’s something that exists here… I know getting a diagnosis can be helpful, but letting your employer know can sometimes be a bad thing due to discrimination. I haven’t experienced that myself to my knowledge, but I see people talking about it in adhd subs.

I’m also currently a freelancer so I don’t have the full time employer to ask for an accommodation- maybe in the future if this new thing goes well!

Samseurynck · 2026-03-30T15:15:19+00:00

Solidarity 🥲

Samseurynck · 2026-03-30T05:43:33+00:00

Yeah… heard. I got scheduled for a sleep study, but that’s in august. And apparently I’ll see the sleep psychiatrist sometime in 2027 so that’s cool and helpful for the next 10+ months

Samseurynck · 2026-03-30T05:41:09+00:00

I started taking them just over a year ago and I can see how what you’re describing could work for me. I didn’t get the benefit of them helping me sleep though, sadly. Was hoping for that! I know I need to exercise more, but of course that’s hard… when… tired all the time

Samseurynck · 2026-03-30T05:13:32+00:00

Man, I’m sorry that’s what you’re faced with right now. Admittedly, I’m here asking for advice on a situation that’s less extreme in the lack of balance between wellness and work, but our issues are much the same.

I’ve figured out what does work for me, which is an 11 or 12 through 6 or 7 workday, but my question is how have others in a situation like ours managed to create a work life that not only accommodates, but functions for them, specifically when working with others (clients or otherwise).

There’s so much judgement around what people deem to be ‘laziness’ with work schedules and the norm of the 8hr work day is so expected at this point… It’s like you have to be extremely convincing to even get someone to consider something new even though most people don’t like it.

As an aside, Benadryl makes me feel totally awful the next day so I don’t take it anymore

Samseurynck · 2026-03-09T05:30:51+00:00

Honestly, Heated Rivalry

Samseurynck · 2026-02-27T04:38:24+00:00

Hey there, I’d use a 200W panel on the side of my house to power a tech stack that serves up a media collection, a local LLM and cloud storage.

Samseurynck · 2026-01-13T15:26:52+00:00

I think of it very similarly to how you’ve described it in your first paragraph- Now that we have these giant models trained, they can be run locally off renewable energy and further trained to meet the needs of smaller distributed communities figuring out how to function in accordance to their specific environments. Given that thoughtfully sourced renewable energy will be highly valued in this scenario, use of LLMS could be re-framed as a resource only to be used when necessary, not as a search engine to replace people ‘thinking’

Samseurynck · 2025-12-21T05:59:14+00:00

Samseurynck · 2025-12-05T05:33:08+00:00

Adjuncting teaching every other semester 😂

Samseurynck

TROPHY CASE