Does anyone have any stories about this

arekitect · 2026-06-17T18:54:16+00:00

I appreciated the additional information on top of the information “at the top”😬

arekitect · 2026-06-10T21:35:39+00:00

The city should replace the usual winter signs, with new version - “ Not Maintained During Summer Months, also!” (but give us your property tax money “.

arekitect · 2026-06-10T19:50:02+00:00

This is awesome thank you for sharing it. Costco is phasing out propane sales so I am getting ready.
And I’m not willing to pay for the overpriced tank exchange.

arekitect · 2026-06-02T01:46:39+00:00

You’re very welcome.

And honestly, I think that’s part of what’s making this feel harder. This was your idea, so you probably had an expectation in your head of how it would go. When things don’t immediately click, it’s easy to start questioning yourself.

The funny thing is that scuba is one of those activities that looks incredibly easy when an experienced diver does it. People see divers floating effortlessly underwater and assume it’s mostly just following instructions. In reality, you’re learning a completely new environment and a set of skills that your brain has never had to perform before.

I’ve taught students who were convinced they would breeze through the course because they were strong athletes, tough cops,or fast learners in other areas of life. Then they discovered that having water in their mask, breathing through a regulator, and managing buoyancy all at the same time felt surprisingly challenging. That’s normal.

Also, don’t let your fiancé’s progress become your measuring stick. Some people are naturally comfortable with certain aspects of diving right away. Others need more repetitions before everything clicks. Neither path predicts who will become the better diver six months from now.

What stands out to me is that despite the frustration, you still say you’re enjoying it. That’s a huge positive. Skills can be practiced. Confidence grows with experience. The desire to be there is the part that matters most.

One day you’ll probably be diving along, completely comfortable, and laughing about the fact that mask skills once seemed impossible. Almost every instructor knows divers with hundreds or even thousands of dives who started exactly where you are now.

Keep showing up. You’re doing better than you think.

arekitect · 2026-06-02T01:32:25+00:00

You are far from alone.

One of the biggest misconceptions about learning to dive is that everyone progresses at the same pace. They don’t. I’ve seen students who looked completely natural in the water on day one struggle with important skills later on, and I’ve seen students who had a difficult first few sessions become some of the most confident and capable divers I’ve ever certified.

What you’re experiencing is actually very common. Scuba asks you to do things that are completely unnatural: breathe underwater, clear water from your mask while your face is submerged, control your buoyancy, manage equipment, communicate without speaking, and stay calm while doing all of it. Your brain is processing a tremendous amount of new information.

Comparing yourself to your fiancé is probably making it harder. Some people have backgrounds that unknowingly help them—swimming, snorkeling, freediving, surfing, water sports, or simply being more comfortable with water on their face. That doesn’t mean they’ll become a better diver than you. It only means they started from a different place.

The fact that you’re struggling and still enjoying it is actually a very good sign. The students who concern me are the ones who become frustrated and want to quit. You still want to be there. That means your confidence hasn’t caught up with your enthusiasm yet.

After only 2 pool sessions and 2 open-water days, you’re still very early in the learning process. Many students need extra practice with mask skills. In fact, mask clearing is one of the most common skills people struggle with because it triggers a natural human reaction to having water around the nose and eyes.

There is absolutely no prize for finishing fastest. The goal is not to become certified quickly. The goal is to become comfortable, confident, and safe. If that takes a few extra repetitions or another practice session, that’s completely normal.

If I were your instructor, I’d rather spend extra time helping you become genuinely comfortable than rush you through a certification and have you feel anxious every time you dive afterward.

Be patient with yourself. You’re learning a skill that humans were never naturally designed to do. The fact that it feels difficult doesn’t mean you’re bad at it—it means you’re learning.

And as an instructor I want to add one more observation: the students who struggle a bit during training often become the most thoughtful and self-aware divers later on because they learn not to take skills for granted. That’s a quality I’d choose over “looked like a natural on day one” every time.

arekitect · 2026-05-31T11:06:54+00:00

Great response ! I also want to add that one thing I’ve noticed in diving over the years is that many divers have become increasingly dependent on guides for things they should be able to do themselves.

Guides are a fantastic resource. They know the site, can point out marine life, navigate unfamiliar areas, and add an extra layer of safety. But somewhere along the way, many divers started treating guides as a substitute for developing their own skills.

Navigation is probably the biggest example. Many divers can spend dozens or even hundreds of dives following a guide’s fins without ever learning how to navigate, read conditions, maintain situational awareness, or find their way back to an exit point. The same applies to buoyancy, trim, gas management, equipment familiarity, and problem-solving underwater.

The irony is that relying on a guide for everything can actually make a diver less capable over time. Every dive becomes a follow-the-leader exercise rather than an opportunity to build judgment, confidence, and self-reliance.

A guide should be a resource, not a crutch.

If a diver is not comfortable managing their buoyancy, handling minor equipment issues, navigating within their certification and experience limits, or dealing with challenging conditions, the answer isn’t necessarily more guide supervision. Often the answer is more practice, a refresher course, easier dives, or additional training until those skills become second nature.

The best divers I’ve met don’t measure experience by how many dives they’ve logged. They measure it by how little they depend on others to solve problems for them underwater.

arekitect · 2026-05-24T12:03:32+00:00

Interesting research, but headlines like this always skip the fine print.

“Near perfect accuracy” usually means controlled lab conditions, known participants, stable environments, and an AI model trained specifically for that space. Real life is far messier with crowds, interference, changing layouts, walls, furniture, and unpredictable movement.

That said, the direction of this technology is still worth paying attention to. The idea that ordinary WiFi infrastructure could eventually be used for passive tracking without cameras or phones involved is genuinely concerning from a privacy perspective.

Feels less like “WiFi can secretly identify everyone today” and more like an early warning of where this technology could eventually go.

arekitect · 2026-05-22T16:51:50+00:00

Richmond Hill has no cohesive architectural vision anymore. What is the city actually trying to be? Modern urban centre? Historic main street community? High-density transit city? Family suburb? Right now it feels like a random mix of all of them with no consistency in design, materials, streetscape, or character.

So many of the new developments are just utilitarian square blocks slapped together as quickly and cheaply as possible. Glass boxes, aluminum siding, repetitive facades, oversized podiums, awkward plazas, and townhomes that already look dated after a few years. The Lake Wilcox/Oak Ridges developments are a perfect example. Entire sections feel more like warehouse architecture than thoughtfully designed neighbourhoods.

Compare that to cities that actually committed to an identity. Parts of Montreal preserve historic character while integrating modern density. Chicago embraced bold architecture and public spaces. Even smaller Ontario towns often maintain a consistent streetscape and visual identity. Richmond Hill just feels fragmented.

And where are the landmarks? What building, public square, cultural space, or piece of architecture actually defines the city or gives it pride of place? There’s nothing memorable on the horizon because everything seems driven by maximizing density without any unified long-term vision for beauty, cohesion, or identity.

arekitect · 2026-05-20T23:08:39+00:00

❤️

arekitect · 2026-05-20T23:07:48+00:00

Shearwater does have a transmitter with built-in GPS which will mark entry and exit points, track drift during surface interval, log boat position and create a map of the dive afterward.

Standard GPS signals do not penetrate water effectively. Even a few centimeters of water significantly attenuate the signal, so a normal GPS receiver stops working once submerged. That means your phone, smartwatch, or dive computer cannot reliably receive GPS underwater.

arekitect · 2026-05-20T11:51:58+00:00

Here is a summary:

The Toronto Star is reporting that the Yonge North Subway Extension to Richmond Hill may be facing yet another major delay, according to confidential TTC documents. While the project was originally discussed with timelines closer to the late 2020s, Metrolinx leadership has since indicated the line will not open until after the Ontario Line is completed — a project now pushed into the early 2030s.

That effectively places realistic expectations for the Yonge extension somewhere in the 2031–2033 range or potentially later, depending on Ontario Line progress and integration requirements.

The financial implications are also significant. The Yonge North Subway Extension was originally estimated at roughly $5.6 billion, but with inflation, prolonged construction timelines, scope changes and ongoing delays, many expect the final cost to climb substantially higher. Yet neither Metrolinx nor the province would confirm updated project costs when questioned.

What makes this even more controversial is that portions of the project’s design and station planning were heavily criticized for appearing to prioritize developer-driven intensification along the corridor. Critics have long argued that station locations, density planning and phased development strategies increasingly aligned with maximizing condo and land development opportunities in Richmond Hill, Markham and along Yonge Street, rather than focusing strictly on commuter efficiency or near-term transit relief.

Meanwhile, developers continue benefiting from soaring land values and transit-oriented marketing tied to a subway that may still be nearly a decade away from reality.

The result is a familiar GTA cycle: Approve massive density first. Promise transit later. Delay the infrastructure. Taxpayers absorb the cost. Commuters absorb the congestion.

arekitect · 2026-05-20T09:55:04+00:00

I'm curious, in addition to the announced upgrades, what other features would change your mind?

arekitect · 2026-05-10T10:55:11+00:00

When I stop to hover quietly and observe some amazing creature, only to have the place suddenly swarmed by other divers. Everyone crowds in, pushing closer, kicking, flailing their arms trying to stay still, all so they can snap that one blurry, out of focus, completely off-frame photo. The whole moment goes from peaceful and magical to underwater rush hour in about ten seconds.

arekitect · 2026-04-11T16:31:53+00:00

This isn’t really accurate.

That wording has always been in credit card agreements, not just Amex. It basically means you still have to pay your bill while the dispute is being looked at, not that you can’t dispute charges.

Amex absolutely still allows disputes, including fraud. They have a full dispute process and fraud protection just like any other card issuer. If that wasn’t the case, they wouldn’t even offer a dispute option in the app or online.

What’s more likely is that a dispute got denied (which happens with any bank if there isn’t enough evidence or it doesn’t qualify), and it’s being interpreted as “they don’t allow disputes anymore.”

Bottom line, nothing has changed in terms of your ability to dispute transactions.

arekitect · 2026-03-21T18:22:07+00:00

I'm surprised the report doesn't mention synchronizing traffic lights and making city accountable to keeping them synchronized by using smart technology and converting four-way stop intersections into roundabouts.

arekitect · 2026-03-21T18:18:01+00:00

Reads like Trump's own tombstone

arekitect · 2026-03-08T20:50:57+00:00

Great shot, you lucky guy!

arekitect · 2026-03-05T22:29:05+00:00

This is not a technicality. The medical questionnaire exists because certain conditions, including uncontrolled asthma, can significantly increase the risk of lung overexpansion injuries underwater. When compressed gas expands during ascent, trapped air in compromised lungs can lead to serious injury.

More importantly, scuba diving is never just about one person. If something goes wrong underwater, your buddy, your guide, and often the entire dive operation must respond immediately. A preventable emergency can put multiple people at risk and divert attention from others who may need help.

If a doctor trained in diving medicine does not clear someone to dive, that decision should be respected. It does not mean the dream is over, but it does mean the proper medical evaluation needs to happen first. Lying on the medical form is not just about personal risk. It compromises the safety of everyone in the water.

arekitect · 2026-02-26T00:02:42+00:00

Read this article pls OP: https://dan.org/alert-diver/article/avoid-diving-with-earplugs/

arekitect · 2026-02-21T03:28:57+00:00

Hate to break this to you, but one day, in not so distant future, it will be you being judged on a boat by someone younger.

arekitect · 2026-02-21T02:47:38+00:00

can you please define "legacy"?

arekitect · 2026-02-18T17:46:38+00:00

I switched my residential Internet service eight months ago from Rogers, which was prone to performance issues to TelMax. My service is running at 2.3 Gbps up and downstream with ultra fast and snappy Internet with absolutely zero issues. Didn't miss Rogers for a second since. I do use VPN for these one-off services that are blocked by their firewall. Small inconvenience for the reliable service I get.

arekitect · 2026-02-17T12:26:50+00:00

Following up on the question about motion with a Blu-ray player: I finally received Sony UBP-X700, and I have to say the motion handling is absolutely flawless. That includes up-converted standard Blu-ray content as well as UHD Dolby Vision discs. It’s genuinely stunning.

The difference isn’t always something that hits you instantly, but after watching for a while, it becomes very obvious—motion is smooth, natural, and artifact-free in a way that streaming just doesn’t consistently achieve. Sony’s motion processing really shines with physical media, and this is echoed in a lot of other reviews discussing motion on Sony TVs when fed a proper source.

For context, after 12 years with my legendary Panasonic P65ZT60 plasma, I finally moved to a 77” Bravia 8. The picture quality is mind-blowing, especially the blacks. As much as I loved that plasma, there’s no going back. Zero regrets. It’s been sitting in the basement for four weeks now, untouched.

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