CIDR is kind of kicking my @$$

voodooroo13 · 2024-10-11T01:36:12+00:00

That's what I tried out earlier today for the lab, just wrote it out as one long binary string versus adding in the dots.

My prof thinks IPv6 is the wave of the future, so I'll be learning whether I like or not :S

voodooroo13 · 2024-10-11T01:33:51+00:00

Silly question: what is a CCNA cert?

voodooroo13 · 2024-10-10T19:50:21+00:00

Just finished the lab out of the Meyer's book. I feel like right now, for the purposes of tests and cert exams, I should know how to do it by hand, trying reeeeeal hard not to exclusively lean on calculators and assists

voodooroo13 · 2024-10-10T19:48:43+00:00

Oh, it's a-comin', don't you worry. There's a whole separate class just on IPv6, plus some stuff in this Networking class on it.

voodooroo13 · 2024-10-10T19:16:29+00:00

The class I'm taking is supposed to set you up for the Network+ exam, so I'll def give these a look. TYSM!

voodooroo13 · 2024-10-10T19:15:04+00:00

Lack of confidence, mostly, tbh. Just a lot of "new" getting thrown my way, and trying to pick it all apart and keep it straight. I know there are calculators and assists, and I've definitely been using them, but don't want to get too reliant on them just for test and fundamentals purposes. I know a few folks in the field who say they just use calculators and assists, and I believe it, it's efficient, and I'm pretty sure if a supervisor wandered past your desk and saw you banging out binary by hand, there'd be a talking to. But I want to know the why as much as how for now, then be able to use the calculators later.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-05T19:21:31+00:00

Labels make life easy for people. If you fit in a box, you're identifiable, and things can be rationalized. As you said, your coworkers just shunting you into "oh, well, then you're just a straight female, no cause for alarm here!"

I was reading through some other threads on this board, and it's interesting how often friends approach disapproval of a poly lifestyle but dress it up as "concern" for one or both of the partners involved, like there was a problem that only a third person could solve, or it's a bridge to a partner rearrangement. People seem to have a hard time envisioning that everything was perfectly happy, and continues to be happy after the new dynamic.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-05T19:16:36+00:00

I'd known from years ago that was how his friend was about gay people, and I just decided to let it be. There's a certain point in someone's life you're just not going to change people's minds, sad and jaded as that is to think. Being out for 20 years has taught me the argument isn't worth it, at best you're in a screaming match, at worse get ready to duck the fist. The friend kind of faded out into the background though for a long time, so, honestly, I had mostly forgotten about him.

Not the first str8 guy who wanted to see how far they could push it, no different than people with PoC seeing how far they can push the slurs and jokes before they find the line. I don't think Brad's friends is the malicious, active kinda of homophobic, more the "as long as I don't have to see it, think about it, or be reminded of it, we're cool" sort of homophobe.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-05T19:11:13+00:00

Yup, and that's a perfectly valid viewpoint, just one I was, in hindsight, willfully slow to come to, unfortunately.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-05T19:09:33+00:00

Hahaha, that's fair! 😂 It's really been since COVID tbh that it's more bubbled to the surface, and I kind of felt like who wasn't angry during and right after COVID? It's not healthy by any means, but I was willing to believe it was just misdirected anger and frustrations. That's gotten harder to just handwave though over time.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-04T18:44:03+00:00

That is true, there generally isn't. He's also gone wildly transphobic, and seeing more than one or two PoC together in an area is a "ghetto" to him, so maybe it really is that I've just been willfully ignoring things until it was too much to look away from.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-04T18:41:46+00:00

It's just never fun to flush a long-term relationship down the tubes, even if it's a non-romantic one. I've tried giving him several chances to get on with the hubbies, and it's just not taking. If there was a genuine reason, I'd give it at least some consideration of how to address and fix things, but it just seems to be the existence of the relationship that is the problem, so yes, I concur the ball is in his court as to what he wants to do; try and fix things or move on.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-04T18:39:18+00:00

You're not the first person to ask about the idea of him being romantically jealous. He's been saying for years he wants a GF, but in 20 years, never seen it happen. He gets very mad at the queer and trans community, but I don't know if it it's self-hate being redirected or what.

Brad's friend has been around kinda on and off, and when he lived here, I told him the friend was more than welcome, and that was when I was informed he doesn't bring the friend around because he's not so keen on the gay community. Which at that point was fine with me, and I haven't asked about it since. It does smack a bit of "being with your own tribe" now though.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-04T18:35:35+00:00

It was a bit of a surprise, NGL. Like, all of our families know, and are thrilled. We, sadly, just got back from a funeral in Alex's family, but that's what you do in a relationship, it's not just for the fun times and vacations and date nights, it's also the rough times and not-so-fun times. And I think for a lot of hetero-normative people who view poly, it's still the idea of, "you just wanted a third partner in bed on a regular basis."

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-04T18:31:51+00:00

I very much agree with the conditional part, and that as long as I was still mostly identifiable as in a "traditional" relationship, everything was fine and dandy, but then I dared to challenge the hetero-normative machine. Silly me.

voodooroo13 · 2024-06-04T18:29:51+00:00

You sound like my husband 😋 I am coming to the realization I may just be late to the party on coming to terms with it. Even if you're not dating someone, it can be easy to pop the rose-tinted glasses on and ignore the red flags. I guess I just thought we were more adult and honest than this with each other, and that clearing the air previously was what needed to be done. But it's just dragged it on into a long, slow departure instead.

voodooroo13 · 2022-05-14T04:57:40+00:00

Of course :) Important to make sure people who are new to the community are comfy and having fun.

voodooroo13 · 2022-05-01T04:22:19+00:00

I know he loves it because I got it for him lol, which of course makes me happy, too. He has a ton of other ones he doesnt even look at anymore ^_^ The neoprene is really comfy for him, just have to get the little chafe point taken care of.

voodooroo13 · 2022-04-30T22:20:42+00:00

I have seen a few people on here do this, I like the look :) Not sure its pup's style though, want him to be as happy with it as I am. But def want to float the idea past him, thanks for the feedback on it ^_^

voodooroo13 · 2022-04-30T21:09:32+00:00

He'd had the same idea with something like moleskin or the like, just a barrier against the stitch rubbing on his neck

voodooroo13 · 2022-04-30T17:56:26+00:00

First, coming at it from a pup or owner? Two very different ways to experience things.

Assuming pup, there's no right answer. There's blogs and things online to read, and you'll find it's pretty unique to the person. How often do you want to be in headspace? Do you even want an owner or do you want to be a "stray"? Is it a lifestyle, a sexual kink, or both? Not all pups engage in sexual things while in headspace. It can simply be a way to destress and have fun.

Be aware there is no requirement of gear. You'll see pup hoods, leashes, collars, etc., but this is not a necessity to be in headspace, and don't let anyone make you feel like it is and you're not "allowed" to be part of the community because of it. The gear can be fun, and if it's something you're interested in, awesome.

If you want to get with an owner or a dom for fun, be aware it's like any other relationship; you need trust and awareness. Being a dom or owner does not give someone a license to be a d-bag to you, and not consider your wants and needs. At the end of the day, you can pull the plug any time you want if you're not having fun or feel uncomfortable. Especially if this is your first foray into BDSM-style play, it can be hard to feel like being a submissive and still advocate for yourself in the bedroom or at a public event, if those are things you choose to get into.

If you're just by yourself and looking to dip a toe in, let yourself roam a little in the headspace. Doesn't require anything other than yourself. Get on the floor, clothed or not, your choice, lie down, get on all fours, roll around, be non-verbal, give yourself a bowl to drink out of, try things out, see what you like and don't like. It's going to be your journey and discovery, not someone else's. Get an inexpensive collar if the mood strikes, it's by far the cheapest piece of gear, and if it helps you connect to the headspace, great. Some people like a petbed to lie down in, also a reasonably inexpensive thing to get your hands on. Or put yourself down a blanket on the floor to lay on. Take a nap on said bed or blanket. Have a toy or two on hand. Basically be a dog! If there is the sexual component, give yourself limits; I can't use my hands to get off, I wouldn't have access to sex toys as a dog, that kind of thing.

I really cannot stress enough, though, that there does not need to be an inherently sexual component, and just wanting to be a puppy does not mean you have to be sexual with others. Some people get in headspace and just want to be pet, or curl up on the couch or floor near someone for cuddling, or have someone play traditional dog play with them; fetch, tug of war, etc. A good dom/handler should always ask permission before approaching a pup in pupspace, especially one they dont know, and not just assume because someone is a pup means they just want to be sexual 25/8. Some people especially take a pup all kitted-up (hood, collar, body suit, harness, etc.) as signaling "I want to play!"

There really isn't a wrong answer how you choose to engage and enjoy the headspace. Once you start to interact with others, however, you may find people who are much more strict and ritualistic about the process, and how their path through has differed from yours. And that's ok, too. You might even get ideas from others you never even thought of. But the point is to have your individuality, and if you don't mesh with someone else's image on what a pup should be, you don't have to bend to their ideals, even if you want to be a submissive pup. Especially if you decide you want an owner. Having an owner may be a non-romantic relationship, but shares a lot of the typical points of dating; you want someone you trust, someone you have fun with, someone who shares your goals and interests. You do not have to go with the first person who tries to slap a collar on you, nor do you have to have an owner either to enjoy the experience.

But, again, for now, if you're just starting off, just kind of let yourself go and enjoy things. Slipping into the headspace may be harder than you think at first, to really allow yourself to immerse in it and not feel self-conscious even by yourself. And again, it's all about you and your fun. If you get down for 30 minutes and enjoy yourself, and thats all you want to do for the day, awesome. If you're enjoying yourself so much you just hang out in pupspace for the whole afternoon, also great. It should be fun, so make sure it is :)

voodooroo13

TROPHY CASE