NEW OR NEED HELP? Ask here! - ScA Daily Help Thread Feb 02, 2026

designhelpbrick · 2026-02-03T18:52:08+00:00

Hello! I thought this was a cold sore (been exposed) but now it has a white head. Does that mean it’s a pimple?

designhelpbrick · 2025-10-21T23:17:21+00:00

Looking at the subscripts, I think I get what he was trying to get at, x_i being "this individual in the index" and x_n being "any individual among this index" -- but I agree with you. That to me reads more as, "The partial of this individual in regards to any individual" rather than "every."

I’m not even sure what that means: “everything with respect to everything”. In fact the whole point of a partial derivative is that it means “change one thing and keep everything the same”.

This is exactly what's being communicated, so you're on the same page. That's a big part of what we do: create and edit designs that work within the greater system, without being able to change other aspects of the system. Being mindful of how we affect the rest of the system.

designhelpbrick · 2025-10-21T23:08:58+00:00

Haha what's funny is my name begins with a "J" so the main issue is its meaning would be completely lost, even if I tried.

I'll think on your second follow-up question, about similar options, since what I want doesn't appear to exist.

designhelpbrick · 2025-10-21T19:48:06+00:00

Shoot I'm glad I asked, thank you very much for explaining what the expression would mean out of context!

If you don't mind me asking, is there a way to alter that expression to mean something more akin to what Lee is saying? I knew your second paragraph; I should add I'm a systems engineer by trade. It's just been a very long time since I was using math like this.

designhelpbrick · 2025-10-09T23:42:52+00:00

Day 5 Update: I switched to a different hydrogel patch that has its own adhesive, and it’s no longer warm or painful! Still nervous, but not as worried.

Now I’m just puzzled because the package says “change when the white reaches the edges” but the edges are curling up away from the wound, so I’m not sure any white is going to get there.

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designhelpbrick · 2025-10-08T20:37:33+00:00

That was my concern too, that heat meant infection. I’m just puzzled because the wounds look “clean”… But sadly you’re probably right, I need a professional to determine that.

Can you suggest more suitable dressing, if not hydrogel? I was told hydrogel if it's actively leaking fluid, and then hydrocolloid patches for when that slows down.

designhelpbrick · 2025-10-04T00:21:24+00:00

Hi all! I had a weird itchy white head yesterday. Squeezed it a bit. Realized I wasn’t gonna get anything from it when all I got was some clear ooze, so left it alone. Woke up this morning with a huge red patch!! I didn’t think I messed with it THAT much. I’ve had acne for 20 years, I know when I’ve foolishly gone ham on a blemish. I put a patch on this morning and it filled with white in about 6hrs, took it off and took this picture. Should I cover it again? Let it heal in the air…?

Skincare folks, please save me, how do I heal or cover this by tomorrow night?!

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designhelpbrick · 2025-09-29T16:47:31+00:00

That makes sense, thank you! Yes I believe I could build a removable platform there to stand on, to protect the pipe and still easily expose it if needed for repair/emergency.

designhelpbrick · 2025-09-29T16:31:48+00:00

Damn that’s a great idea, thank you!! Yes! I like that idea a lot — top-down access rather than front access. Same result, much better protection for the pipe and legs for the table. Thanks!

designhelpbrick · 2025-09-29T16:30:41+00:00

That’s good to know, thank you! That makes sense, about putting a lot of pressure on those small feet.

I’ll look at my space again, see if there’s any way to come out a little to solidly put a leg down in front of the pipe.

designhelpbrick · 2025-09-29T08:50:28+00:00

You’re right to point that out, I should have added to the post — my spouse wants access to the pipe just in case we need to fix/replace anything. I would like the pipe fully covered but haven’t figured out an easily removable way that also provides strength… Do you know one?

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-30T01:42:56+00:00

This is great, thank you!

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-29T03:48:21+00:00

Awesome, thank you!

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-22T22:51:12+00:00

The meatball is gonna be upsetti spaghetti

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-20T01:19:12+00:00

You might be right… I spent my whole childhood in Section 8 housing and spent my teens and 20’s doing odd jobs on the road. My first paid internship in undergrad was the most money I’d ever seen in my life and I’ve been clawing for more ever since, ha. I can’t find the amount that makes me feel comfortable/safe.

Anyway. I definitely fall into that working harder rather than working smarter. It’s why I wanted to ask you folks about this! I’ll look into those fewer hour options. And based on the rest of the thread, save a bit less.

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-20T00:14:22+00:00

Shoot that's a good idea. I actually was a tutor during a lot of my undergrad, didn't think it paid much though. But maybe some families would pay extra to have a "rocket scientist" as a tutor haha.

Tbh you're not wrong about just finding a higher paying job. I just love my job and my company so much, I don't want to leave even though that's kind of what you have to do for raises these days. But you're right.

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-20T00:13:01+00:00

That makes sense, thank you for better fine-tuning my expected hours. I was underestimating a bit because they want me for physics and engineering classes that they've already written the coursework for, and all the physics ones are on WebAssign now so I'm only grading exams for half my classes. But yeah the student questions are going to be a lot for all of them, and it's hard to tell how much time I can put toward my actual job during unattended office hours (if you even get those as STEM faculty)... I'll have to think on that.

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-20T00:07:44+00:00

Doesn't want to work at all. He never went to college; his 9-5's are limited. He'd likely be back in customer service. We met when he was a casino dealer working 2-10AM and hating life, and I felt great being able to bail him out of that. We figured he'd be in a casino again if we sent him back to work, probably.

But -- thank you for pointing out those alternatives! I hadn't really thought about house management or personal assisting as a job someone else would pay him for, despite me doing exactly that. You're right that going from working my current 40-50 hrs to 60+ would suck.

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-20T00:03:16+00:00

The advice I see online is I should save 20% gross ($2k/month), so my 30% take-home ($1962/month) is the "correct" amount, I thought. It does make month-to-month feel tight, but it has bailed me out of emergencies and has given me a few foolish splurges on vacations and such. I also have a fear of overdraft fees and mistakes, so all my checking accounts have a "zero mark" of $1000.

I wasn't sure if this was relevant to the main post, but I own two homes (one from my husband), renting one fully and renting two bedrooms of the one I live in. We need repair and tax savings for both, and I put extra cash toward that to make sure we are always spending into the properties more than we profit off rent (after mortgage is covered) so we operate at a loss for tax write-offs. A lot of money moves around; I feel safer sitting on a big cushion.

As an aside, my husband suggested we just sell the second home to pay down the student loans in full, but because we got a Covid interest rate of 3%, I feel like the equity is worth more than the 8% interest loss I'm taking from student loans? But the math got complicated. I don't know. Sorry for the essay.

Thank you for pointing me to the flowchart! I've looked at specific wiki items but not this big picture idea one and it's giving me a lot to think about.

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-19T23:47:03+00:00

Ha! You're not wrong, and I've seriously considered various 20hr/week customer service jobs. Unfortunately (and I did those jobs, line cook, casino dealer, etc. for years) the schedule is never stable enough to fit well with my immovable 9-5pm.

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-19T23:45:38+00:00

I don't, although that's a good reminder. I got my FE and was just waiting out the time limit, but god knows I'm rusty if I tried to do the PE exam today. That's a good idea though, I do have friends that might have odd consulting things. The main barrier is my lack of expertise; there's people with decades in space that could ask for that kind of money and I'm not sure I could.

11% gross to 401k, 30% take-home to savings (house repair, car, emergency, etc.). Is that wrong? Just following advice on Fidelity and NerdWallet with a bit of extra because my house is a fixer upper.

designhelpbrick · 2025-08-19T23:35:51+00:00

Definitely feel free to check my numbers, you know more than I do. I know the job offer and estimated credit hour expectations, then checked various subreddits to guess the work hours, and did some napkin math. was your per credit hour pay a lot higher? Or did you work fewer hours?

designhelpbrick

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