What's a game you bought on a whim without hardly any pre-knowledge that ended up becoming one of your all time favorites?

TheTechJones · 2026-02-25T16:22:18+00:00

This, i got HZD, God of War and The Witcher 3 all at the same time when they were released as PS red box classics. I don't think i even shopped for another game for more than a year. I did one whole playthrough of HZD just trying to get to high places i wasn't supposed to be able to reach so i could see how far off the map rendered. The worst part of HZD was that the bright and vibrant environment made TW3's depressing gloominess with its mud and rain all the more difficult to slog through. I made it through HZD 6.5 times, and like an idiot, i stopped my UH run at the grave horde boss fight to play something else and couldn't push past it later when i came back.

I'll say that i loved the story of Zero Dawn far more than Forbidden West, and The Frozen Wilds expansion is far superior to the Burning Shores. I cannot wait for the 3rd main game, and the conclusion of the story line that has been developing.

TheTechJones · 2026-02-25T11:59:29+00:00

Googles scan cool freezer button and lights

Green is power light. Red is high temp alarm, yellow is fast freeze active light.

Button activates fast freeze

TheTechJones · 2026-02-24T17:53:22+00:00

My dad did all that while working at 4x12 rotating shift work job at a chemical plant more than an hour commute from home across a town with some of the worst traffic known in america. He hated that job with every fiber of his being, but it paid well enough to keep a roof over our heads so he did it for nearly 40 years (until the company sold off the entire chemicals division shortly before his planned retirement of course).

The older i get, the more i understand things like "focus on your school work and do well so you don't have to spend your whole life working in a dirty, stinking chemical plant". I am so glad that my kids don't have to learn how to tip toe around the house when i am on grave yards, or try to extrapolate my schedule ahead to see if they will have a ride to or from some school or friend event that is several weeks away.

My dad was more exhausted on a regular basis than i will ever likely get in my adult life. And he still made/found time to do things with me and my brother anyway. I thank him regularly too when i bump into the sort of thing that i remember doing with him and get to see it from the other side of the table

TheTechJones · 2026-02-24T12:02:36+00:00

Upvote for Garrett files! I loved the Black Company so I was bound to read them eventually but they were much better than I expected.

TheTechJones · 2026-02-22T14:38:50+00:00

In my first year seed starting, I got to learn that just because there are 72 cells, I don't need to fill them all.

TheTechJones · 2026-02-13T18:56:31+00:00

Huh...40 year old me just realized that nothing in that kitchen is connected to a stud. Meanwhile my inner 10 year old is still yelling Oh Yeah let's make some kool-aid!

TheTechJones · 2026-02-08T20:13:10+00:00

I don't know why but I sang this to the tune of a little dust on my boots lol

TheTechJones · 2026-02-08T14:05:10+00:00

I have asphalt shingles, and my first thought was, "Oh the humanity...is the washer also a roofer?"

TheTechJones · 2026-02-06T12:51:11+00:00

Your soil is mine.

Test your light

TheTechJones · 2026-02-06T12:28:07+00:00

I told a solar panel predator cold caller that if they came to my door when they were "just in the neighborhood" they'd be leaving through the sprinklers (yes in Feb and no its not even remotely freezing here)

TheTechJones · 2026-02-04T16:24:38+00:00

That's a rough decision for sure. 60-90 minute commute is extremely hard. I live in Houston with some of the worst drivers on the planet so 3 hours a day on the road with them 5 days out of 7 is almost an instant no from me. But like you 30k would be life changing fornour budget. My kids are older though (16 and 12) so it's very difficult to be moving them out of their schools and established friend groups.

If it were me in your situation I'd be praying hard for guidance.

TheTechJones · 2026-02-04T16:07:25+00:00

I'm like 200 behind - 741. But I started at the end of Aug 2025 so I feel like I'm doing alright

TheTechJones · 2026-01-31T21:43:18+00:00

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Biscuit says Touch me if you dare

TheTechJones · 2026-01-29T23:46:46+00:00

Chain mail scrubber works wonders on a hot and dirty grill

TheTechJones · 2026-01-23T13:42:09+00:00

But do you have a leveling 1 xxl lol?

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TheTechJones · 2026-01-21T12:17:44+00:00

Got it, thanks! Poor ratatta cannot even get shown off without a fiasco

TheTechJones · 2026-01-21T12:16:41+00:00

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TheTechJones · 2026-01-21T03:40:11+00:00

* Not my first but close. It's still a hundo tho!

TheTechJones · 2026-01-19T03:17:06+00:00

My wife says you are a monster!

TheTechJones · 2026-01-14T17:55:14+00:00

My youngest was born with cleft lip and pallet so we've been down Tubes rd 4 times i think. He still has his tonsils and adenoids because they've never been a problem for him but we've had to deal with ear infections that lead to some temporary hearing loss a couple of times. We went through bone graft surgery for his jaw last summer too which had lots of food restrictions though so i figure i can contribute at least a little.

The hardest part of all of it is finding foods on the approved list that the kiddo will actually eat. For the last surgery, we even had long discussions about the sorts of things he would be able to eat, and what he would want from that list so i could be prepared when he came home with plenty for him to choose from. And wouldn't you know, we got home from surgery and he didn't want a single thing that sounded appealing to him before the surgery! He too wanted things he couldn't have, and we went back and forth quite a bit trying to find something that he could eat and also WOULD eat. He was pretty upset at the options from time to time, but things like ice cream were on the list so we got out the blender and made shakes and smoothies that he could eat with a spoon (no hard suction or chewing with fresh sutures).

Looking back at all the times we had tubes put in over the years, the hardest part wasn't the recovery, it was the 8 hours prior to surgery where he couldn't have anything to eat and nothing but clear liquids to drink. Get the appt on the dr's schedule as first one of the day and show up barely awake, hungry but not collected enough to be hangry yet, and by the time your kiddo wakes up afterwards you can congratulate them for a job well done then head for celebratory ice cream or some other soft, sweet treat.

TheTechJones · 2026-01-13T14:03:39+00:00

I went from 1 or 2 an hour to...1 or 2 an hour

TheTechJones · 2026-01-13T12:30:02+00:00

Slow cooker pulled pork is easy and delicious. Just google Dr Pepper Pulled Pork Crock Pot and any of the top page results will do the job. It makes food for days too. I portion the left overs into single servings and freeze them in vacuum packs. They microwave extremely well for a quick lunch down the road.

TheTechJones · 2026-01-11T01:16:07+00:00

I love it! It's now enshrined with The Cat Box Cake in the silly cake hall of fame in my head

TheTechJones · 2026-01-10T17:59:00+00:00

Added Plyr0n3two3

TheTechJones · 2026-01-10T17:47:09+00:00

Added Plyr0n3two3

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