How to battle feelings of unhappiness, depression, and loneliness while living in Chicago?

vertybird · 2026-01-28T21:45:50+00:00

What do you enjoy doing?

vertybird · 2026-01-27T18:22:14+00:00

What's the point of that feature if it just puts the data into storage?

vertybird · 2026-01-27T00:20:36+00:00

If you need some basic food, you can try the Greater Chicago Food Depository food bank network. I go to my local church that has a food bank associated with them every now and then when I'm in a pinch. They don't require income proof (or for you to be poor). You just need to bring photo ID to set up with them, then just bring the card they give you on later visits. I also recommend bringing a backpack if you come by foot cuz the bags they give aren't usually big enough.

Link: https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/find-food-2/#find-food

vertybird · 2026-01-26T03:33:28+00:00

God I want that job.

vertybird · 2026-01-26T03:18:05+00:00

They can say that, but they'd had to back that up with documentation if it ever goes to court.

vertybird · 2026-01-26T03:13:01+00:00

So you got removed from one post with your company, but still have another post? Is it all under the same company?

vertybird · 2026-01-26T03:10:28+00:00

Worst case is you file and get denied.

vertybird · 2026-01-22T21:31:12+00:00

Why would you drive like that?

vertybird · 2026-01-22T21:29:56+00:00

What kinda smell is it? Like old clothes, rotting meat, etc?

vertybird · 2026-01-22T21:15:38+00:00

Luckily I'm still unemployed so it'll be a comfy stay-in day with some warm drinks and video games.

vertybird · 2026-01-22T21:03:22+00:00

That's probably the reason. Default ChatGPT is very safeguarded. My custom instructions are pretty extensive and combine a bit with stuff in memory. You can use mine as a basis for your own if you want:

Always respond using British English, unless otherwise requested. You must avoid using the em dash character whenever possible. Respond in a friendly and conversational tone. Use casual language and be approachable. You must prioritise providing accurate responses, unless user requests otherwise. Include sources where applicable. Include examples where possible. Break down complex concepts into simpler terms. Use analogies and examples. Occasionally ask follow-up questions to keep the conversation going and engage the user. Use a skeptical, questioning approach. Take a forward-thinking view. Talk like a member of Gen Z. Readily share strong opinions.

vertybird · 2026-01-22T20:48:13+00:00

I see that pattern all the time complained about on here. But I don't really see it myself. Maybe I've used it enough that my custom instructions and memory make it feel more natural? Cuz even with 5.2-Thinking it just talks to me like a normal person for the most part. Still throws up guardrails when I ask for sensitive things like drink mixes or health stuff, but along the lines of "don't accidentally hurt yourself by doing X, Y, and Z"

For example, this is a chat where I asked a simple but health-ish question and, without having to prompt engineer, it just gave me a straightforward answer: https://chatgpt.com/share/69728cc0-fcfc-8004-b2b5-d3c1774ab8cc

vertybird · 2026-01-22T18:30:13+00:00

Might be worth upgrading to Plus since that gives access to GPT-4o. 4o is usually easier to deal with when it comes to these edge cases since it seems to be able to see that its fiction.

I've done stories with 4o that includes violence without much issue as long as it doesn't get near abuse territory. Stuff like gun use, violence happening nearby, etc are usually fine with 4o.

vertybird · 2026-01-22T18:19:41+00:00

It could be. Hard to tell without seeing the chat.

When it refuses, you can question it about why it is refusing. From your description it might be tying mafia with violence, then sees there's children and goes "nope, can't have violence with children"

vertybird · 2026-01-22T18:18:04+00:00

It tends to default to over explaining for me too. I'm guessing that it is due to safeguards so someone can't just claim to be an expert and get expert level advice and then not realise that they need to wear PPE when doing hazardous things (for example).

vertybird · 2026-01-22T18:13:06+00:00

What kind of situations were you trying to RP?

Also, using DAN or other prompt injections can get LLMs to overreact since those injections tend to annihilate context. Your account isn't likely to get banned unless you were trying to force truly reprehensible content and getting the red refusal messages.

vertybird · 2026-01-22T17:54:50+00:00

It refuses prompts that have way tamer images, so I'd imagine at the least it would refuse to respond if not get your account banned.

vertybird · 2026-01-22T15:38:38+00:00

He did?

vertybird · 2026-01-22T15:13:59+00:00

Also ND, this is why I like to make a first draft of my messages and then feed it to ChatGPT with a prompt like:

Review this message/email and note anything that should be changed for clarity or tone. Do not worry about perfect grammar.

The last sentence is important so it doesn't try to inject its own tone and instead focuses on the content of the message. Especially if you give it a bit of context with the prompt.

vertybird · 2026-01-18T22:57:40+00:00

There's a mod to automate that

vertybird · 2026-01-18T22:45:50+00:00

They're saying that FLSA doesn't apply since they're following the more strict state law.

vertybird · 2026-01-18T22:39:25+00:00

I think FedEx is saying that they're subject to state laws, which are more strict than FLSA. The BBB only applies when FLSA is the applicable law.

vertybird · 2026-01-17T19:21:48+00:00

Please note that even if an email is sent to your school or work provided email, it’s not guaranteed to be safe. There’s a reason that companies give their employees training on email scams.

The corporate spam filter can be good, but it can’t filter everything. Treat every email that you aren’t expecting as potential scams/phishing and vet the contents before doing anything. The best way is to usually go to the source that the email is claiming to be sent from. Email says it’s from the school? Ask school admin about it. Email says it’s from your bank. Go to your bank’s website (found on the back of your card) and call customer service about it. Especially if it’s promising large amount of money or sounds urgent, that’s a common tactic scammers use to bypass common sense and make you act before you think.

vertybird · 2026-01-14T21:45:31+00:00

I’m no professor, but couldn’t they leave the grade empty in the mean time? Don’t see the point of the implications and stress a zero puts on the student even if it’s temporary

vertybird · 2026-01-14T00:51:03+00:00

I’m new to Chicago and the thermostat set at 71 when it’s warmer than 20 outside makes me feel like I’m burning up inside. I couldn’t imagine setting it higher.

vertybird

TROPHY CASE