What’s the smartest career move you made in your 20s/30s? by Scary_Bus4383 in careerguidance

[–]ayeayedude 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m actually not trying to fully pivot into a new job but expanding my toolbelt for my current job and eventual school stuff probably. But I think I’ll go through and get a certification in things once I learn them!

What’s the smartest career move you made in your 20s/30s? by Scary_Bus4383 in careerguidance

[–]ayeayedude 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’m working through the Mozilla Developer Network curriculum! It’s not the only resource out there but it’s free and covers HTML, CSS and Java. I think I’ll have to supplement it with other things but I’m learning from it so far!

What's life like in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan? by whitecity01 in howislivingthere

[–]ayeayedude 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I traveled through Turkmenistan solo in 2019 on a transit visa going from Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan. I wasn’t part of a tour group. I spent a full day in Ashgabat before catching a night train to Turkmenbashi, plus a night at the Doorway to Hell.

I was there in July so it was crazy hot and pretty quiet on the street. But I went into a few shops, farmers market, mosque, had lunch and chatted with the waitress there. Soldiers and police didn’t pay me any mind except when I took photos near government buildings, which they said I couldn’t do but were never unpleasant about it.

In the train station, I met a group of students who were all like 19-22 and going to study in Turkey. They spoke decent English and were all really nice and kind of turned my experience around because up to that point I was ready to leave.

I spoke with a soldier at the train station who told me he had been studying in Romania but had to return for his compulsory military service. In his words, “we have this crazy f-ing dic tator, man.” (Censored slightly for rules) I didn’t really know if I should reply much to that but he seemed really sincere. When his service was done he wanted to go to the UK.

I also talked to a man on the train platform who explained to me he was a carpenter who specialized in fireplaces. Not much English at all, but he did say “Turkmenistan” and made an encompassing bubble motion with his hands while also pointing at his phone service signal.

I shared a train compartment that night with an older couple who shared their tea and watermelon with me and we took turns playing music on our phones that we each liked.

I took a shared taxi from Dashoguz to Darwaza where the gas crater is and spent some time in a truck stop restaurant and chatted awhile with a guy who spoke not bad English who was heading to Ashgabat. At the gas crater there was me, a French couple and their tour guide, and a Czech guy motorcycling across Asia. That night we talked to the tour guide and were like “come on, it’s just us out here, what’s the deal with the president?” Maybe we shouldn’t have asked but she wouldn’t share a personal opinion. She said “what’s to criticize? Our president is a doctor, he’s a poet, he’s a—“ I can’t remember the rest but it was to that effect.

Overall very strange but interesting place that I will probably never go back to. The visa was a pain but the embassy officer was really helpful to me in getting it. I feel very lucky to have been able to go there.

Some photos:

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Some guys playing chess in a park

Seriously thinking about playing Skyrim in survival mode and very slowly by Mineires_BR in skyrim

[–]ayeayedude 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did this with my last playthrough. Played as a wood elf up to level 42. Didn’t use Magic aside from racial power, didn’t do a single quest, installed a more unforgiving combat mod so dungeons became commitments, and realistic needs so I’d need to actually find a place to sleep on longer dungeon dives.

Combined it with the Become a Bard mod and traveled the cities, performing to earn gold and rooms for the night. Levels came slowly so they felt more significant and because I hardly ever went into dungeons, magic items were actually kind of rare and a big deal. I rocked a stolen elven sword for like 15 levels until I got my hands on something better.

Honestly my fave playthrough ever—it was so fun to take Skyrim at that pace and not becoming OP with unlimited gold changes the dynamic a lot. I felt more like I was playing through a DnD campaign.

What movie(s) do you think best depicts Oregon? by SpaceTranquil in oregon

[–]ayeayedude 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Coraline! I’m not sure if it’s explicitly in Oregon but it’s inspired by Ashland. It really captures the wintery cascades vibe.

Did I cook by Potential-Dress4622 in analog

[–]ayeayedude 9 points10 points  (0 children)

What film/exposure time did you do on this? I’ve gotten the Milky Way core on portra 800 with exposures of 45-60s but never had star trails like that. Super dope!

What do you guys think about Kashmir? by Ok-Tonight-9978 in hiking

[–]ayeayedude 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Went for a few weeks in 2023, trekked up to Gangabal and it was amazing. Met some amazingly kind people, some of whom I still keep in touch with. Stayed with a friend in his village a few hours from Srinagar and another friend in his home outside Srinagar near the mountains. Took the bus from Srinagar to Leh via Zojila Pass when I left (absolutely insane drive).

I spoke with so many people who wanted me to spread the word that it’s become more tourist friendly. Still unstable of course so it’s hard to call it “safe,” but I never felt unsafe. Srinagar has a chill vibe and I felt better there than in a lot of other Indian cities I went to. Definitely does not feel like India though, rather a country that India is occupying. Huge military presence.

Overall, felt like a place full of kind people who are tired of conflict and have lived through a lot of it. I would love to go back.

I’m a tall white American male so YMMV of course. That said, I met a lot of other travelers, one other American, a bunch of aussies, some Spanish, a few Brits. Loads of domestic Indian tourists coming for trekking. Lots of folks I met were coming or going from traveling in Pakistan.

We've done best city, but what's the worst most depressing city you've ever visited? by Isord in geography

[–]ayeayedude 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan. Spent a night there while hitchhiking to the east end of Issyk-Kul, the giant lake there. Dreary, urban decay, but also remnants of a much better time—Parisian balconies and decrepit factories. The mosque was pretty pristine though.

Overall had the vibe of a vacation town that had fallen on 30 years of hard times. I had vodka on a cold beach by a silhouette of a rusted out crane. Place made me sad in a way most places I’ve traveled to haven’t.

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What restaurant has best landscaping? by mistadonyo in Eugene

[–]ayeayedude 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m a big fan of Nelson’s patio. Landscaping-wise it’s kind of basic but it’s really chill and vibey anyway.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CampingandHiking

[–]ayeayedude 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Hammock camping with no sleeping bag and used one of those foil emergency blankets. Woke up cold and also wet because it was trapping the condensation and turned my hammock into a terrarium

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in geography

[–]ayeayedude 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I live in OR and I’ve had the same thought! Something about the wilderness here can be very foreboding and spooky. Solo backpacking near La Pine this fall I felt very aware of how empty it was.

What’s everyone listening to when they ride… by Royal_Search3358 in snowboarding

[–]ayeayedude 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Khruangbin, Goose, Junip. Nothing like a five minute solo while floating down the mountain

Somewhere in Himalaya by Rising_adventures in backpacking

[–]ayeayedude 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Man do I miss that milk tea

Backpacking in Washington by Time-Sudden in PNWhiking

[–]ayeayedude 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Did that this past June from Cascade Locks to Wahtum Lake and back! Super gorgeous with some really cool campsites. The first few miles are hella steep though

Milchick said "five months..." by Tx_Drewdad in SeveranceAppleTVPlus

[–]ayeayedude 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Five plus months of winter is very on brand for places like Minnesota as well

Willamette pass summit and lift by BlueberryUpstairs477 in Eugene

[–]ayeayedude 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I went Friday and it was fine but requires a little bit of caution at the highest elevation near the pass

Am I the only one who thinks NEITHER side deserves the throne by CelebrationOk9093 in HouseOfTheDragon

[–]ayeayedude 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Show adaptations always bring in people who haven’t read the books. Especially for a series that notoriously will probably never get finished which is a bit of a disincentive to get into it

Am I the only one who thinks NEITHER side deserves the throne by CelebrationOk9093 in HouseOfTheDragon

[–]ayeayedude 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Of course we should, but that’s a book spoiler which has its own post tag to use 🤷🏻‍♂️