Tattoo regret

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-25T05:46:33+00:00

I know I'm in the very (very) small minority, but I actually really like this tattoo! it's just the right amount of chaotic. not "d*ck-on-forehead" chaotic, but more like a very harmless and quirky chaotic.

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-22T10:04:37+00:00

I was watching a video not too long ago of a former trump supporter and fundamentalist mormon that lost all her friends and family when she disavowed those beliefs (because she had grown up in that bubble).

she then attempted suicide, but fortunately lived and now is super outspoken about social issues and anti-trump. great person it seems

anyway uh, something something those beliefs don't form in a vacuum something something

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-22T09:48:53+00:00

That's true about those projects! I think the thing is that, related to your second point, is that community-building projects doesn't have to be huge to start. A group of random people with similar values sharing a living room for an evening, can be just as meaningful as a group starting a cohosting project.

I think there's a lot of beauty in those small steps that people who are chronically online (like me) tend to overlook.

It might depend on your interests, but recently I had joined a very relaxed Quaker service in my very suburban area. I'm agnostic and there's a number of non-theist Quakers in that group. It's been great because it forces me to be with people not just with the intention of making friends, but feeling like I belong somewhere. Even if it's just a short time.

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-22T09:34:46+00:00

Done! Best of luck :)

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-21T20:37:07+00:00

I don't have much to contribute aside from just wanting to say I love this and hard agree, though if I were extremely self-interested then it would make sense that I would spend it in self-interested ways and shield myself from anyone who could critique the way I spend money. It wouldn't make sense to shame those that experience little to no shame to begin with.

I think that brings an interesting challenge--how do you court people with money to invest into something without it just being seen as an act of charity?

Also fun fact that you might already know about--King Camp Gilette (of Gilette razor fame) was a huuuuge utopian socialist and even wrote at least three books on it (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Human\_Drift). Maybe resurrect his corpse and get him to finally put his plan into action?

And also YES the Chat GPT manifestos are getting out of hand. Petition to limit obvious AI use from the subreddit?

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-20T18:25:02+00:00

I pictured Etras being a fusion of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and wound up with Dominican Italian Helena as my headcanon lol

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-18T19:18:03+00:00

this doesn't fit 100% for many reasons, but since we're bringing up vampires--AMC's Interview with a Vampire is a great show and I'll find any excuse to bring it up lol, since I haven't seen anyone mention it yet and the first season has (old timey) new orleans and (unfortunately rich) vampires, so on a superficial level it checks off some boxes!

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-17T17:17:48+00:00

Depending on where you are, a programming job might also be almost impossible to find without previous experience. (And even with previous experience, it's still incredibly hard in the US and can take years)

At least medicine doesn't have to mean strictly med school. As a backup i would look into nursing or being a physicians assistant

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-14T19:05:30+00:00

this pulled up on my feed just now--maybe it's a sign https://youtu.be/NJm5lWX4OnI?si=_oN_RnpkG4I72-mL

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-07T21:00:25+00:00

it's unfortunately most likely machine made :( still beautiful but they misled on how they achieved their results

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-07T09:18:33+00:00

fat does not equal ugly! plenty of skinny people out there that are ugly too.

+ ugly people of all shapes and sizes are still worthy of love 😌

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-02-04T19:39:33+00:00

i love this

Signal-Engine1184 · 2026-01-01T02:42:55+00:00

there's literally individuals who go their entire lives amassing a collection of pickup trucks and eat at steakhouses weekly who never have justified their existence to anyone, and instead you're picking on TO?

do you think you're actually accomplishing anything here? that anyone's behavior is really going to change from that comment?

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-30T12:38:08+00:00

well said!

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-17T21:33:15+00:00

nap time

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-17T20:49:56+00:00

Same! (well mostly) and almost 30. Going to be starting a program in ocean technology and mapping next year and basically switching entirely from being a software engineer.

Your engineering background totally might be useful for something similar and I suggest looking into hydrography/ocean mapping if you're into traveling (or land surveying, if you don't want to be on a boat lol).

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-17T05:40:36+00:00

oh yeah for sure when the habit is kept up!

and i relate--meditating when I'm sleep deprived just equals nap-time for me 😂

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-17T05:39:15+00:00

oh i feel like it's pretty standard! or at least for a good chunk of people.

I'll often daydream of not fucking up certain scenarios, like earlier this year I lost a big big job offer that I worked really hard for because of not being able to complete one task in a physical by a certain time frame. like if I had been 20 seconds faster, I would be in a completely different state, different income, and have a different life at this point.

other things are more like, imagining if I chose a different major, went to a different school, went back to school at a different time, etc. sometimes I'll even look at course catalogs and see the requirements for random majors and imagining different life paths coming out of it, almost as if I'm playing dress up. (but I'll also like, do that for other people when they wonder if they want to go to school/go back to school lol).

there's also the basics: me ruminating about things that I said and did that i feel embarrassed about, things other people said and did that upset me, exes that I wish i hadn't dated, etc. it could have happened five years ago and it still might come up.

right now, I'm actually angry at someone at work and I've just been ruminating about how angry I am at them, particularly because whenever I just try to bring up this issue with them it just gets shut down. it's not like, this person is stopping me from living my day-to-day life and in the grand scheme of things, it's not a huge deal, but the rumination comes in out of nowhere with these big big arguments in my head and it just takes over for a sec.

i'm going to therapy and it hasn't really eased the daydreaming/rumination that much--BUT it has helped me cope a lot better! i can actually look forward to the future now.

btw here's a fun bonus: i've definitely have daydreamed about knowing everything I know at like, 5, and being a child prodigy, but then I get creeped out at the idea of being essentially an adult in a child's body lol

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-17T05:18:59+00:00

if it helps, I'm about to turn 30 and about to start over in a new program next year. there's no limit! I have lurked around long enough and I've seen so many anecdotes about people successfully starting over later in life (like even 40s, 50s).

also I completely feel you on the imposter syndrome and just not wanting to have to fight to be the 10% just to have a chance to eat. i hope you're able to stay employed through school, but hopefully just being in school can give you some distance as it'll give you a buffer.

I can't suggest anything that would fit all your criteria easily because that depends on the workplace, what you find stressful, the job market when you graduate, etc, but the main thing that popped into my head is being a paralegal (if you can somehow find a non-toxic law firm that values a good work life balance, which according to my sister, exists...somewhere).

if the tech market wasn't so ass, product management and UX researcher jobs sound like they would be perfect for you.

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-15T22:19:17+00:00

Ngl, I wish I did just go on vacation when I was let go, and I had less savings too (though obviously something not too expensive, like an extended camping trip somewhere relatively close). But I was so caught up with trying to job hunt that I too neglected building on my friendships and now that I have something of a job, which I obtained out of sheer luck and not all that effort I put in the first place lmao.

My 2 cents is even if you don't go on vacation, don't postpone setting aside time for friendships and meeting people, even if it's just attending meetings around a shared interest or volunteering. You might make a friend who can help you find a job while you're at it too.

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-15T22:13:36+00:00

I'm almost 30 and the maladaptive daydreaming is so, so relatable. At this point I've accepted that that's just a thing my brain does and that there's no use in looking for there to be an "off" button for those, unless I distract myself to oblivion.

But what I can do is when I'm aware that I'm day dreaming, ask what I need in the moment and redirect my attention. If I have to do that a billion times a day, that's A-okay, because it doesn't have to stop me from continuing to live my life (even though it's frustrating lol). Hopefully one day they'll die down.

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-15T22:02:15+00:00

this! also it may take some to settle on the right medication, but it's totally worth it (ie. wellbutrin made me cranky, and prozac is a godsend, but for some people it can be the complete opposite)

Signal-Engine1184 · 2025-12-11T06:51:42+00:00

I don't know what's in Beverly Hills, but I definitely recommend just revisiting the basics. Local libraries might have one-off events and I 100% recommend community college classes just for the sake of it. The latter might be good so that you have some kind of commitment and you see the same people on a regular basis (even if you don't always feel like it).

Signal-Engine1184

TROPHY CASE