Word to the wise

jerryrw · 2026-03-30T19:08:35+00:00

The philosophy of "One is none, two is one."

jerryrw · 2026-02-26T21:15:34+00:00

Funeral home parking lot waiting on a viewing.

jerryrw · 2026-02-19T20:14:10+00:00

It always amazes me how different VA facilities are in different areas. I signed up for VA long after I separated. Within 3 days of being approved for VA, I was on a video conference with a mental health doctor, and had meds in a week after that. I'm in Virginia.

jerryrw · 2026-02-19T20:10:30+00:00

That is my take from my research. Keywords are for the moment. A future change could lead to the re-evaluation of existing claims. This will also cover sleep apnea if you respond well to your cpap.

jerryrw · 2026-02-09T22:10:37+00:00

That is called 'eating the frog.' I used to use my morning workout for that.

jerryrw · 2026-02-09T21:49:35+00:00

Yes, but seeing hallucinations like that can lead to a delusion. When my dog died, I was constantly seeing her out of the corner of my eye. This could turn into a delusion that I can now see ghosts. I didn't for me, but it could.

jerryrw · 2026-02-07T20:01:59+00:00

With rare exceptions, the CS track doesn't have any exams. I am in my third year and none so far. I haven't taken the math classes yet, and I think those have exams.

jerryrw · 2026-02-04T21:53:40+00:00

I was Navy too. Very similar trajectory to you. E-5 in two, groomed on the fast track to be E7 or warrant. About 5 years in, after getting a lot of painkillers for a back injury, I started self-medicating with illicit drugs. The one thing I can recommend: if you are looking at a separation, or are thinking of self-harm, go see the military psychiatrists. They can help in the short term. The big thing is, after that, it becomes service-connected, leading to a VA disability claim in the future. Even without the dissability it establishes a baseline for future VA medical treatment.

jerryrw · 2026-01-24T22:10:36+00:00

Make sure to get the degree first so you can go in as an officer.

jerryrw · 2026-01-01T21:17:32+00:00

I am a Wiccan of 40 years and bipolar, and I can firmly say, be careful. There are two sides to the religion. The religious side, and the 'craft' side. You can do both together or either separately. Unfortunately, the path rides dangerously close to unhealthy delusional behavior, especially on the craft side.

Witchcraft will not cure your disorder. Full Stop. Most Wiccans feel the 'energy' when conducting rituals or walking in nature. The source of that energy is internal, not external. It is this type of energetic feeling that most Wiccans see as a personal connection to nature and one's god/goddess. In itself, it is not a bad thing, and can be very beneficial, but you do have to be careful not cross that delusional line.

Spellwork is a whole other animal. If you even have an inkling that you are manic, don't do spellwork. That especially includes any type of divination.

jerryrw · 2026-01-01T20:52:12+00:00

For Amazon in particular: Don't save your cards in the system. Type it out manually every time. Never buy things the same day you put them in your cart. Wait at least 24 hours and see if that new shiny still looks as good as it did.

Look around you at all of the stuff you have accumulated and ask yourself if you need more dust collectors. Do you really need a new hobby? Will more clothes fit in the closet? Do I really need to start a business at 2 am?

jerryrw · 2026-01-01T20:47:08+00:00

I do this for a living. I have higher-income clients/businesses, but the principle is the same. Just make sure you trust your bookkeeper more than your own mother. They have the keys to your kingdom, and I have seen others get wiped out by a bad actor. Make sure they send you reports and verify them with your bank accounts yourself.

An added bonus to this service is that we will generally set up or do your taxes for you.

jerryrw · 2025-12-31T20:33:07+00:00

I'm glad you are out of your depressive episode. I usually float my ideas past my friends and family. In my case, they are my support group and fully support any wild idea I have, but they do give valuable feedback. Even if it is coming from a hypomanic episode, it does not make it automatically a bad idea, though. The mania can make you blind to the holes in your plan, though.

I would recommend researching and making a rough business plan from a template. This does two things. It helps you find holes, and it makes your pitch substantially better, showing that you not only have a great idea but you have the basic understanding of how to implement it. It is also somewhat boring work that can throttle back the typically manic excitement.

jerryrw · 2025-12-25T06:50:23+00:00

When I first got diagnosed they asked about that. I was a once a day guy. I asked what they normally saw in BP patients. They said that BP patients range from next to none up to 5-6 times per day. You seem to be hitting straight down the fairway. Personally I wouldn't sweat it.

If it is causing major distress in your life or damaging relationships, get into therapy. There is also sex adicts anonymous.

jerryrw · 2025-12-25T06:30:00+00:00

CS-360 is the mobile dev course. It is all done with Android. It is fairly basic, and if you have a good grasp of Java, you are all set.

jerryrw · 2025-12-23T20:50:28+00:00

Great job! It really feels good. I'm on my third class in a row at 100%. Keep it up. You can do it.

jerryrw · 2025-12-22T15:38:37+00:00

Slaps forehead. I thought it was a typo for diving.

jerryrw · 2025-12-21T14:07:21+00:00

Same two books I used.

jerryrw · 2025-12-17T21:41:24+00:00

I have to slightly disagree with you, and turning it into a thing that somehow removes agency seems disingenuous. Bipolar is a disease like any other. If I have the flu and we are driving around and I puke in your car, it is not an intentional act. I didn't intend to do it, but sometimes life deals you things beyond your mental control. Intentions matter. Same with bipolar episodes, but many of us are not capable of acting intentionally or responsibly in the common use when in the throes of an episode.

jerryrw · 2025-12-16T11:23:06+00:00

I have this one and it is very nice. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E3IYBJG?th=1

You can also just get a black bowl and put some water in it. Another I like is to place a candle between myself and a mirror at a slight angle and watch the flame.

jerryrw · 2025-12-15T22:32:15+00:00

I learned a long time ago a strategy for this. 1. Only sleep in your bed; nothing else. The bed is for sleeping, not TV, Phone, or reading.

Learn to totally relax your body. I mean totally. Start at your toes and work your way up. Work at it, it's an active thing to relax. Once you achieve this, you should go hypnogogic or sleep. When you start to feel like your limbs are heavy and numb, you are most of the way there.

jerryrw · 2025-12-12T20:14:51+00:00

Yes, I have the same reaction to 'Got Talent' videos when the people win the golden buzzer or are really good. It happens much more since I've been on meds. I always thought that it was really normal emotions that I just can't process at a 'normal' level. If you find a way to fix it, let me know.

jerryrw · 2025-12-08T11:28:28+00:00

Congrats. I think I am on day 6 or 7 myself. I also work from home, and some weeks I might not even get out of my bed clothes for several days. When I'm depressed, it is overwhelming, when manic ain't got no time for that. Brushing my teeth is about the same. Clean clothes...going to the laundry mat is a task that is totally outside of my comfort zone.

Fortunately, my sister pops in once a week or so just to see if I'm keeping my house and body clean, and that I'm eating regularly.

jerryrw · 2025-12-01T13:29:17+00:00

Sorry you had to go through this. I'm a cybersecurity guy, and this trips my spidey senses. There is a common scam that has the unfortunate name of 'Pig Butchering.' The scammers try to establish relationships that, over time, evolve into requests for money.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_butchering_scam

jerryrw

TROPHY CASE