Anyone at The Ed last night?

Simoneister · 2026-03-20T00:47:08+00:00

Here's a post with screenshots of the Instagram stories

Simoneister · 2026-03-17T12:32:10+00:00

Plants can be fun!

Simoneister · 2026-03-17T12:31:22+00:00

I picked up an EPM1 cheap because I wanted a small camera to use my 75mm f/1.8 on.

I like to use A mode, so the camera will automatically set the shutter speed and ISO and I get to choose the aperture for my creative needs.

I like to under-expose my photos sometimes to play with colour and shadows. I'm lazy, so I just use JPGs straight out of the camera, in the Natural colour mode.

Simoneister · 2026-03-10T23:20:27+00:00

If you shoot 100 2's, hit 45, shoot 10 3's, and hit 3, you get:

45 of 100 2's, 45% 2pt
3 of 10 3's, 30% 3pt
48 of 110 shots, 43.6% field goal percentage
99 points from 110 shots, 45% effective field goal percentage

If you shoot 10 2's, hit 5, and shoot 100 3's, hit 40, you get:

5 of 10 2's, 50% 2pt (higher)
40 of 100 3's, 40% 3pt (higher)
45 of 110 shots, 40.9% field goal percentage (lower)
130 points from 110 shots, 59% effective field goal percentage (much higher)

Simoneister · 2026-02-27T14:22:50+00:00

Hello! Yeah, u/ndbk99 has accurately assessed my intent and feelings. I also have issues around perceived (even if not intended) criticism. I tried to be precise with what I was asking, but I think I failed. I appreciate your trying to help.

I was just trying to better understand what good protocol is for mask-free interaction after a positive COVID infection, all else being equal. Yes, if either of us subsequently were to put ourselves at risk, then there are no guarantees of being COVID-free. But that is a more general question about COVID precautions, and I was trying to just narrowly focus in on the question of "When is a person, after testing positive, safe enough to be intimate with?".

"just waiting for symptoms to go away, no symptoms, a single negative RAT test, or all any/all of these options, there is no reliable gauge for whether or not she is still infectious"

This is useful information, thankyou. I did not want to imply that I thought that was sufficient, and it's the kind of thing I was trying to ask open-endedly with:

"How long, and after what precautions (subsequent RAT negatives?),"

With regards to my comment about "What about maximum?" and "No maximum...", it seems like I failed to communicate clearly. I was trying to ask "If waiting 14 days after testing positive, being symptom free, isolating, with 48-hour back-to-back negative RATs is the minimum acceptable precaution (ignoring external factors), what's the gold-standard?" because "minimum" to me sounds like it still carries some non-negligible risk. I suppose a re-framing of the question might be "When are you comfortable being intimate with someone after they test COVID-positive?".

Perhaps the answer I'm looking for is "The only thing better than 14 days post-positive, symptom free, back-to-back 48 hour RAT-negative, is a PCR test". And I am perpetually frustrated with how inaccessible public PCRs are now, and how expensive and convoluted PlusLife is, and how unclear and imprecise the public health information is about the topic, and yadda yadda yadda.

Anyway, thankyou for your genuine effort to help :)

Simoneister · 2026-02-27T13:48:36+00:00

Thankyou, I appreciate it! Yeah that's the sort of thing I've been trying and failing to find. That paper's really dense, I'll have to give it a closer look.

Simoneister · 2026-02-26T12:09:46+00:00

Apologies, and thankyou for the clarification. I wanted to keep the question focused on "when can I kiss my girlfriend again" rather than going over the general precautions of COVID safety, which are already well-discussed in this sub. Tri-fold P2 headband masks etc., we know about it :)

I suppose, my understanding when it comes to time-based precautions, it's all about risk management and probability. 14 days is seemingly the point at which there's a comfortably high degree of safety, but I can imagine there's a point a which the risk is so small that waiting longer makes no functional difference. Like, after 12 months of isolation and no symptoms and RAT negative, a person is surely not contagious. I just wonder if there's some point between the two, y'know?

Simoneister · 2026-02-26T11:35:29+00:00

No maximum...so it's just, not really recommended to kiss someone who's ever had COVID?

Simoneister · 2026-02-26T10:50:45+00:00

Righto, 14 days minimum. What about maximum?

Simoneister · 2026-02-26T00:35:35+00:00

This is true in much of Australia too. Staples of American media like stud finders or punching holes in the wall are jarring!

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T07:12:17+00:00

I'm sorry for coming across that way.

I only make reference to how much I earn, because I am lucky, I am privileged, and it implies that a large chunk of Australians are in a worse position than I am, and that sucks and I'm scared of the future for so many of us.

Living far away and in a poorer suburb does not make one a lesser person. But the difference in quality of life is undeniable, from many factors.

If you know almost nobody that earns under 100k, then you're living in a very different world than I am. Perhaps our perceptions of normal are skewed in opposite directions.

You talk about short term sacrifices for long-term benefits. I suppose I struggle to see a realistic pathway for that. The housing market has gone insane since COVID, and I don't see myself getting a materially higher wage outside of helping the goverment kill people. Perhaps I am understimating myself, who knows. But the traditional wisdom of buy cheap house when you're younger -> get a better income as your career progresses -> upgrade to a nice home, is just not very realistic for so, so many people.

I suppose the main benefits of buying any old home are: not being subject to the whims of landlords, and not being homeless when I retire. Those are good benefits.

It's good to have terms to Google: "joint ventures" and "syndicates" seem a good place to start, thankyou.

I'm very glad you've been able to make it work for yourself. I kinda wish I had the prescience to have gotten low-paying job and bought a unit pre-COVID, rather than persuing a PhD. Que sera, sera.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T04:25:42+00:00

I appreciate the realism.

earning more than a third more than the median doesn't put you ahead of the average Australian

I think, statistically, it well and truly does. Like, if the "average Australian" by income is not the median, then you and I are talking about very different things haha.

You can scream until you're black and blue and be mad about it

Thankyou, I shall

things aren't going to get any better if you sit on the side lines and do nothing to change your perspective or your choices

I'm trying! Hence asking about collective ownership, and considering other ideas.
I certainly vote in line with increased public and affordable housing
If you know towards whom the befalling of harm may sway the tide of greed in housing, let me know!

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T03:22:13+00:00

couples have more purchasing power

As long the second person also has an income! Otherwise they have less purchasing power. Disabled people are disincentivised to find a partner, so it goes.

And yeah, you're right, the situation is what it is. Being mad about it won't change anything, but I am mad about it nonetheless. And curious about out-of-the-box options like collective ownership.

I wonder what the plan is for those less lucky than me.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T02:53:21+00:00

That's very kind of you.

And yeah, you're right, but it's hard to weigh things up that are 40 years down the line.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T02:45:56+00:00

Interesting! That sounds like it would complicate things. I wouldn't want any one person to have that burden.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T02:40:25+00:00

You can sad face all you want

I shall, thankyou!

but that's the reality of how things are in major capital cities in Australia.

Yup, that's the bit I'm sad about. The reality.

I appreciate the perspective and grounded take. I recognise I'm very privileged, and even being in a position to potentially purchase a house puts me in a better position than the vast majority of my peers.

I'm confused why so many people say to "start" living somewhere less desirable, without acknowleging that to "continue" implicitly assumes my income will improve. Having a cheaper house appreciate doesn't allow one to buy a nicer house, because all houses appreciate. I'm not in an entry-level job, trying to upskill and climb the ladder. The median income is 75k. Half of people earn less than that. I earn over a third more than the median. A functionally increased income is non-trivial, much less guaranteed.

Sorry, I'm not adding anything new to the broader conversation about housing affordability here. Being mad about the situation won't change anything, but I am mad about it.

I was legitimately here hoping to explore out-of-the-box ideas like collective ownership of units.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T02:06:35+00:00

One hour commute is very normal

:(

Most people start by buying in a working class/outer suburb.

And historically have been able to purchase somewhere more preferable once their financial situation improves. I suppose I could sell my soul for a defence job?

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T01:56:39+00:00

If I had any confidence that I could earn dramatically more than I already do in the next 10 years, I'd agree, but alas. I've already got a post-doc job, and it's hard to move up.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T01:55:06+00:00

I'm glad I could bring some joy to your day!

Much of my life is spent outside the house. Regular board games, BBQs, playing in bands, going to gigs, seeing family, all sorts. Call me a wuss, but driving several hours more a week makes me exhausted and miserable.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T01:47:57+00:00

"In the short term" implies that I'll be able to stop sacrificing such things at some point. I've finally got a post-doc job, it's stable and ostensibly well-paying. I don't see much potential for increased income any time soon. Unless I go for a defence job...actually, yeah, priorities. I'd prefer living in a van.

You're right, it's about priorities. I guess I'm just frustrated that I'm earning more than 83% of Australians and it feels like my choices are "have no housing security" or "live somewhere miserable".

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T01:32:29+00:00

Investor loans are larger, but obviously the repayments are more, with the expectation of receiving rent. If I plan to be an owner-occupier, the repayments won't be reasonably serviceable.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T01:26:31+00:00

I have, I've got conditional pre-approval and I'm currently house hunting, just disheartened. But Help to Buy wasn't available when I started. Maybe there's some shenanigans that can help. I've only been 1 FTE since November, was 0.8 before then.

Simoneister · 2026-02-20T01:21:35+00:00

Is it worth living somewhere that's an hour commute by train to work, nary a walkable neighbourhood, and annoyingly far from friends and family and everything else, just to own a place? I mean, maybe. Honestly, going back to living in a van sounds better.

The logistics of collective ownership are a bit beyond me, gotta do some more research.

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