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ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
7:09 AM
Morning all from a chilly sunny Britain
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
How chilly?
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
Alaska summer chilly
4°
 
Stephie
Stephie
Sunny?
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
Beautiful golden light
 
Stephie
Stephie
Hmpf. Cloudy here.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
7:12 AM
Fucking perfect photographic light, and here I am going to work like a schmuck
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
That's just about what it is here (but at night).
All of my windows are open and the fans are blowing, but it is still too hot in my apartment.
It's nicely chilly outside though.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
That place must have terrible insulation
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
HA!! That's awesome.
I am proud.
The Feds have "renamed" Mount McKinley too (we have always called it Denali).
Denali–Mount McKinley naming dispute
The name of the highest mountain in North America became a subject of dispute in 1975, when the Alaska Legislature asked the U.S. federal government to officially change its name from Mount McKinley to Denali. The mountain had been unofficially named Mount McKinley in 1896 by a gold prospector, and officially by the United States government in 1917 to commemorate William McKinley, the assassinated U.S. president. The name Denali is a based on the Koyukon name of the mountain, Deenaalee translated as "the high one". The Koyukon are a people of Alaskan Athabaskans settling in the area north of the...
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
8:08 AM
'we', she says
from a state where you stand on a telephone book and get a view :P
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
You must inspire me. I was about to call it a night, then I got a foodie idea that just won't go away. Plus I've got stuff in the fridge that needs to get used.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
Yes, I have that effect (￣￣)
I actually do have some kind of electric field that makes computers work. Someone will sit there whining, call me over, I will do exactly the same thing they did, but it will work for me ¯\ _(ツ)_/¯
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
my camera and tripod are handy, the kitchen is well lit but nothing is diffused.
Maybe you can have that effect on my photos (if my dish is as pretty as I think it's going to be)
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
(҂⌣̀_⌣́)
beaming photo-waves
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
8:28 AM
this is like a stellar episode of Chopped.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
what do you have?
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
Pasta dough, smoked salmon (which I know you don't like but I love), eggs, fresh peas and a variety of hot peppers.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
hmmm
any butter?
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
Yes, but also some left over Alfredo kind of sauce.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
hmmm
I wouldn't use that... too much going on
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
8:37 AM
I've got it all worked out in my head :) if I can make the pasta work like I think I can, it's going to be great.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
I would make smoked salmon ravioli, a pea puree, and a chilli butter
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
I'm making egg yolk ravioli simmered in a smoked salmon cream sauce with a pea puree garnish.
I like smoked salmon as a seasoning more than as a key part of the dish.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
sounds good (theoretically of course - salmon)
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
9:03 AM
quiet this morning
no @Stephie to drone on, and on, and on
 
Stephie
Stephie
@ElendilTheTall <shuts up> Ups.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
oops
what are you, French?
 
Stephie
Stephie
@ElendilTheTall Now it's German.
Sorry. Am quiet because I'm digging through documents, papers, E-mails.... And can hardly move - accident when wallpepering. I should get someone for these menial tasks.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
hurt your back?
 
Stephie
Stephie
No. Stepped down a ladder and tried to break a fundamental law of physics.
Two objects can't be at the same place at the same time.
In my case, the corner of the windowsill and my thigh.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
9:12 AM
irresistible force vs immoveable object eh
 
Stephie
Stephie
Yup. Nasty bruise that hurts like <enter expletive of your choice>.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
'blazes'
 
Stephie
Stephie
You get the idea...
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
'buggery'
 
Stephie
Stephie
keep going... I'm expanding my vocabuary here ;-)
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
9:14 AM
'the dickens'
'a muppetplucker'
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@Stephie What you need are some minions.
Sorry to hear about the accident.
Fundamental laws of Physics are a bitch. I particularly dislike Gravity.
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
Unedited, obviously not "pretty", but the dish is on track!
 
Stephie
Stephie
@FaheemMitha You saw the movies? (better at least not using the yellow kind)
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@Stephie What movies?
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
 
Stephie
Stephie
9:18 AM
Minions (film)
Minions is a 2015 American 3D computer-animated family comedy film, serving as a prequel/spin-off to the Despicable Me franchise. Produced by Illumination Entertainment for Universal Pictures, it was directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, written by Brian Lynch, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy. The film stars Coffin (as the Minions), Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, and Steve Coogan, and is narrated by Geoffrey Rush. It was first foreshadowed in the end credits of Despicable Me 2, where Stuart, Kevin, and Bob, three of the Minions, are seen auditioning...
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
For some reason, minions always makes me think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@Jolenealaska nice maglite. useful for clubbing bears to death.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@Stephie Oh. No, never heard of that one.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@FaheemMitha avoid at all costs
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@ElendilTheTall Noted. Thanks.
 
Stephie
Stephie
9:19 AM
@ElendilTheTall Unless you have six kids over for a birthday party and it's pouring outside. In July.
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
Aargh, the images seem too big. Ok, I've got to finish them anyway.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@Stephie then you put the the DVD in, retreat to the door with the remote, step out of the room, hit play through the door while swiftly closing and locking it, then return when it's finished
 
Stephie
Stephie
@ElendilTheTall That would have been an option but we went the full-blown "drive kids to local cinema and buy tickets, popcorn and lemonade" route. So nice to have someone else clean up after them.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
ah. which organ did you sell to cover the costs?
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
9:23 AM
@Stephie That sounds expensive. Why not buy a home theatre system?
 
Stephie
Stephie
Was doable. Good deal at local cinema (birthday kid is free), resticted number of guests and a husband with a good paycheck. Not to mention the not-longer necessary spa day for mom the day after ;-)
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
or hire a company of midgets to don costumes and perform it for you in your living room?
 
Stephie
Stephie
Hi @rumtscho!
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
hi @Stephie
and hi everzone
 
Stephie
Stephie
Oh, @FaheemMitha and @ElendilTheTall, I'll call you for suggestions next summer ;-)
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
9:24 AM
@Jolenealaska @FaheemMitha see that? we just get lumped into 'everyone'
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@ElendilTheTall I think I'll live.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@ElendilTheTall I don't feel up to reading through the transcript just to discover who is currently in the room and who isn't
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
Hi @rumtscho. How are you?
 
Stephie
Stephie
@ElendilTheTall You weren't qiuck enough to send her an individual greeting ;-)
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@Stephie Suggestions for what?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
9:25 AM
hi @FaheemMitha. I'm mostly OK.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho mostly?
 
Stephie
Stephie
@FaheemMitha Kids' birthday parties.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
yes, one thing or another has been cropping up since Friday.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@Stephie Ah, those.
@rumtscho Yes, life can be a pain sometimes.
@Stephie You could hire a conjurer. Though I don't know if children actually like that.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@Stephie you are best acquainted with the German health system of this room
 
Stephie
Stephie
9:28 AM
Guys, I'm off, limping to the washer (laundry....), the kitchen (coffee!!!!) thenback to my desk.
@rumtscho Aehm, yes? what's up?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
can you give me tips on how to talk to a doctor about getting time off without appearing to be a lazy leech?
 
Stephie
Stephie
Need a "Krankschreibung" for a few days?
Without "obvious" symptoms like running a 40C feever?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
No, not exactly that way
I had another ear event yesterday evening
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Are you sick?
@rumtscho Oh. Sorry to hear that.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
I don't know if you are aware of my ear problem
 
Stephie
Stephie
9:29 AM
That is a reason to get you taken out of the treadmill for a few days.
It's a sign of too much on your plate right?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
it started as a "Hörsturz" in late May, but by now, I have a Meniere's diagnosis even though I don't have the exactly typical Meniere events
 
Stephie
Stephie
So tell him/her and if he /she doesn't offer, ask for it. You can be blunt here. Especially if you have your history on file.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
at the beginning, all an episode entailed was experiencing a drop in my hearing (or having it worsen, I spent 2 months without it getting to normal, just fluctuating around some amount of hearing loss)
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho I don't see any reason to be shy, especially if you have a diagnosed problem. Of course, I don't know the German system.
 
Stephie
Stephie
You are currently in treatment, right? If only by referral to a specialist? Off-site?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
9:32 AM
back then, I only got time off sometime in the 9th week, when I got the diagnosis and freaked out and had a tearful breakdown in the doctor's office
I'm not really in treatment, because there is no treatment
 
Stephie
Stephie
Treatment as in "supervising / documenting your condition". Shooo, make that appointment!
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
the illness occurs in episodes, which in their full form are really frightening, and one cannot work through them. But they are also short (3-4 hours). That's the "standard" case. I have never had one of those.
So the last episode and this one are, for me, over a day long, and I can work if needed, but I get very easily fatigued
I am staying off work today (I am allowed to, without an attest, up to 3 days) and I made an appointment for this afternoon
but what I'm thinking about is whether to ask for an attest if he doesn't offer
 
Stephie
Stephie
And it you simply plough trough these episodes instead of resting, it's likely to get worse, right? Yes, asking is absolutely fine.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@Stephie that's what I don't know, if it will get worse or not
and if the ploughing through is bad or not
after all, people with chronic pain are advised not to avoid everything which causes pain, because this leads to a downward spiral
the other point is that I don't want to end up certified with a disability where I can't work to support myself
so if I have these slightly-off states often, maybe it's a better strategy to learn to work despite them
 
Stephie
Stephie
What's your gut feeling? Especially your current mental/emotional/physical setup? (No need to answer here!). And no, getting a certified disability doesn't happen automatically, it's a long process with a mountain of paperwork. I know about chronic pain and while I'm not saying "rest on the sofa like a lady of the victorian times succumbing to the vapours", ignoring your body's signals isn't wise.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
9:41 AM
"ignoring body signals" isn't wise for acute conditions, where the body needs the rest to heal itself
 
Stephie
Stephie
@rumtscho I define "acute" as "recently had a bad episode", too.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
I'm not exactly sure what the consequences are for my case. I will ask the doctor, but the problem is that he's not exactly competent in that area.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho How are these episodes fatiguing? Is it psychological/stress stuff, or something else?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@FaheemMitha no, I feel physically tired
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Oh. Caused by hearing loss?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
9:43 AM
or how do you mean it?
@FaheemMitha no, not caused by the hearing loss. The hearing loss is just a symptom.
actually, it's probably one of the causes, yes.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Oh. I'm not following. Why do you feel tired again? Or do you not know?
Hearing loss, unpleasant though that no doubt is, doesn't seem obviously linked to fatigue.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@FaheemMitha no, I don't know. I have my theories, of course.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Huh. But it is related to this ear loss thing?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
Do you ever know why you feel tired, other than by assumption?
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Often it is clearly stress related.
 
Stephie
Stephie
9:45 AM
Ok, @rumtscho, take care! Really consider taking it slow for a bit! (Have to go.)
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
I would actually say, personally, for me, it is the number one reason.
I'm a rather lazy person, so I don't typically get fatigued by working too hard.
And medical emergencies are certainly stressful.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@Stephie OK, thank you for the help, and have a nice day!
@FaheemMitha it's not a medical emergency.
It was an emergency the first time.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Well, ok. I just meant, nasty bodily symptoms.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
Now it's something I've experienced once every few weeks and will probably continue to experience in a similar rhythm for the rest of my life.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
I remember I once freaked out over tinnitus symptoms many years ago. It was quite unpleasant.
@rumtscho Yes, I see. But it must still be stressful. And stress is tiring.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
9:48 AM
@FaheemMitha yes, sure, it's stressful. But I'm under tons of stress from other sides too.
The "quickly tired" part goes beyond that.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Sorry to hear that. Sounds nasty. But this fatigue is related to the ear thing, from what you say.
Or "quickly tired", if you prefer.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@FaheemMitha yes, it is related.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Ok.
And does this "quickly tired" thing stop after a bit? Or not?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@FaheemMitha how do you mean, "does it stop"
it isn't a continuous thing
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Do you stop getting "quickly tired"?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
9:52 AM
@FaheemMitha yes, when the other symptoms weaken.
it seems to be tied to vestibular symptoms much stronger than to hearing symptoms
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Ok. Well, that seems... unexpected. But in any case, that sounds like a good reason in itself to ask for a little time off.
@rumtscho That would seem to indicate something. But I've got no idea what.
And you've mentioned all this to your doctors, of course?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@FaheemMitha not yet. I didn't go to the doctor in the last episode.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
Is this "quickly tired" thing a typical symptom for this kind of condition?
@rumtscho You haven't mentioned the "quickly tired" thing?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@FaheemMitha there isn't really a way to answer that
tiredness is part of the typical episode, but in a different way from mine. also, my episode doesn't look like a typical episode at all.
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Oh.
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
9:59 AM
@ElendilTheTall You can see the picture? (obviously, I don't think you actually just came up with Maglite out of the blue). I get "image not found".
I have a bunch of pictures, throughout the process. And I shot the final dish which, while delicious, isn't pretty.
I only broke open one raviolo to eat (and I didn't break any yolks:), so I still have three dramatic raviolis left, so I am revamping the sauce for the picture.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@Jolenealaska yes, I can see it
 
Faheem Mitha
Faheem Mitha
@rumtscho Well, anyway. If you get very tired during these episodes, that in itself sounds like a good reason to ask for some time off.
In my ignorant non-medical opinion, of course.
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
I was recently reading about Meniere's because I was having problems with one ear. I'm lucky, it seems my issue was something easily fixed. (btw hi people)
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
hello @NadjaCS
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
I can definitely relate to fatigue and in my case extreme irritability while my ear was causing problems.
meniere's was the prime suspect I was hoping that it wasn't.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
10:14 AM
hi @NadjaCS
Glad to hear that you had something else
it's not a catastrophic condition, but it's an annoying one
it's nice that your ear improved
that's something I never knew before I got my own ear problems
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
I was having vertigo and some pain, but apparently my ear canal was just completely and terribly blocked, so hopefully they think it should be better now.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
it seems medicine doesn't know much about ears, especially the inner ear
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
yes, they gave me a list of exercises for vertigo and said "these might help, or they might make it worse"
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
but luckily, many problems (sudden hearing loss, acute tinnitus) have a high rate of spontaneous healing
vertigo from a blocked ear canal? strange, I never read about that in al the vertigo literature I've been through
do you mean the external ear (the part you can stick a q-tip in)? or somewhere behind the tympanus?
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
external ear but they said it could be putting pressure further back?
let me look at a picture to give the correct name
yes ear canal was right
I am still not sure it was the solution for the vertigo or if that simply reduced on its own
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
10:19 AM
@rumtscho I'm sorry that I seem to have mostly missed you again. I need to go to bed, but hopefully we'll be able to talk soon. I think you might find some recent things I have gone through relevant to your situation.
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
my vertigo episodes were very sudden and very brief, usually only about 30s
bad when riding a bike or hiking on a narrow trail with a drop-off, but otherwise not so bad
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@Jolenealaska yes, I'd like to catch up with you too. Good night!
@NadjaCS yes, much of what I've read says that the worst part about vertigo episodes can be that they are unpredictable
that's what I fear myself, I'm a passionate kayaker and wonder what will happen if I get a debilitating episode on the water, especially in a dangerous stretch of white water
I haven't had a full-blown episode yet, so I'm full of uncertainty
I had actually talked myself into believing that it will stay in a mild form, after a few months
but now it seems to be changing, and I guess I'm anxious
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
I ride my bike to work every day (well, between home - train - office) and had to stop for a while when it was bad, which was very inconvenient, but better than veering to the side or falling over, which nearly happened once
but yes, the unpredictability is the problem ... I need my bike, I love to hike. it is frustrating to say, "I need to turn back, I feel dizzy, I can't cross these rocks"
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
a bike commute is a nice thing. I'm not into biking as a sport, but I commute on bike too. Has tons of good side effects on health and stress levels, when compared to car or public transport.
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
very healthy as long as you don't get driven over, yes :-D
the shorter part of my ride is near office, it is horrible, crazy driving, lots of tourists who don't know the area trying to make turns from the wrong lane, things like that
(san francisco)
but still better than the alternatives
and I haven't died yet :-D
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
10:28 AM
@NadjaCS give it time ;)
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
oh, well, I've actually been hit twice, glancing blows but knocked over
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
ouch
do you wear a helmet cam?
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
no, I should
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
absolutely
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
10:31 AM
after the first incident I got a much brighter jacket and I started getting honked at a lot more
I consider that every person who honks is someone who wanted to drive where I was
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
those are lovely @Jolenealaska
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
very nice
does anyone wake up early enough to still see the stars?
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@NadjaCS ouch! You're a hero just for driving to work!
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
10:36 AM
Jupiter, Mars and Venus were all together in the sky this morning, quite beautiful
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@NadjaCS yes, this is an attitude I've never understood
"if you are a person sitting in a car, you have a right to occupy this spot. But you are a person sitting on a bicycle, so this spot is mine to take if I want it! Yield it to me!"
I luckily live in a sane place. We have bike lanes.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
Generally I am tolerant of cyclists
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
Good night guys, I'm officially toast.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
what annoys me is when two ride abreast having a chat
@Jolenealaska <slathers on butter>
:D
 
Jolenealaska
Jolenealaska
@ElendilTheTall :)
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
10:39 AM
@ElendilTheTall what an uncomfortable way to go to bed
unless I let my mind slide into the gutter, where it suddenly makes sense
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@rumtscho I am shocked and appalled
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
@rumtscho some places in SF there are bike lanes, some you are expected to share with the cars. but folks cross the bike lanes unpredictably (and mostly illegally) all the time anyway.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
"folks cross" as in pedestrians?
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
I actually live in another city (thus the train) and I much prefer the biking near home, where the streets are wider and even streets without bike lanes mostly feel safer
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@NadjaCS (҂⌣̀_⌣́) San.... Jose
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
10:43 AM
folks = all and sundry. people wandering across (jaywalking, or trying to flag a cab or one of the horrible uber cars), bicyclists riding in the wrong direction (the worst sin!!), bus drivers trying to get into or out of traffic
etc etc etc
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
why are the uber cars horrible?
I've heard of them, but we don't have them here afaik
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
it depends on the driver, really
and the passenger
passengers order the car on their phone and say where they will be
then they stand there and wave increasingly angrily at the uber driver until s/he comes to them or pulls over somewhere else
they are like unprofessional taxis
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
christ, that's saying something
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
but there are specific places taxis and buses, for example, are supposed to stop
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
I've yet to meet a professional taxi
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
10:46 AM
and specific places they are not supposed to stop
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
really? I suppose this is needed in a large city
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
the passengers always want to get on in the places that are not legal
needed is perhaps the wrong word
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
I've seen special taxi stand areas
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
so, perfect example of this problem is near the main train station in san francisco
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
but as far as I'm aware, around here, a taxi can stop wherever another car can stop
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
10:47 AM
there are regular city buses
there are private company shuttle buses (google: "google bus")
there are regular taxis
there are uber and lyft drivers
there are regular normal drivers trying to pick up passengers
there WAS a specific bus area and a specific taxi area and a specific passenger loading area
for normal humans
but the google buses would take the muni bus zone
and the uber drivers would take the taxi area
eventually it was such a mess that they put up more signs and separated it all out so that it is spread out over most of the city block
so of course the people calling for uber don't even see their section from the entrance to the station, and even if they did, they wouldn't want to walk over there ... if they wanted to walk they wouldn't be calling for cars with their phones :P
and all along this, there is a bike lane between the traffic and the curb
traffic lanes | bike lane | loading zones | sidewalk
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@rumtscho (I think we pressed Nadja's hot button)
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
lol
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@ElendilTheTall if I'd been run over twice when riding to work, I'd have a hot button with disregulated streets too
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
I am being reminded that I need to be up to repeat this in a few hours
so I should probably log off
san francisco does have a lot of cool places to ride, if you have the nerve for the hills
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
boooo
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
10:53 AM
(the nerve and the calf muscles)
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
then good night @NadjaCS. I've noticed you on main, it was nice meeting you in chat too
 
NadjaCS
NadjaCS
good night, and yes, lovely to meet you all
good luck with your appointment
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
and then there were two
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@ElendilTheTall blame the timezones
so, what are you doing? did you master the Rubik?
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
I am down to about 8 minutes
the last layer algorithms are the trickiest to remember, they are quite long
and you need different ones depending on what you end up with after completing the first two layers
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
11:08 AM
ah, you are learning existing algorithms? I missed that part
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
yes, that's how it's done
the first layer doesn't need any, it's very straightforward
then you have 2 for positioning the second layer. They are 6 moves each.
Then you need to set up the top layer, another 6 move algorithm
then you finish that layer, which is one of two 8 move algorithms
then you finish the corners, another 8 mover
then finally set up the edges, another 8 moves
when you are finishing the top face you need to be able to remember what algorithm to use and how the cube is positioned before you apply each one
I can do the first two layers in around 2-3 minutes
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
for me, the point of algorithmic games is to come up with the algorithm myself
in many iterations, of course
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
oh hell, life's too short
and my brain is not wired that way at all
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
yes, it would be rather involved for Rubik
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
this is just one method, I should stress
there are several
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
11:15 AM
I never cared to play it, or similar ones
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
and then there are the speed methods
apparently one should master simply being able to solve it before trying those though
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
it's for games like Sudoku that I developed my own solution methods
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
<shudder>
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
which are not unique of course, and probably not even the best
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
Mrs the Tall likes Sudoku. I do not.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
11:16 AM
Oh, if she likes it, I can suggest to her something even better
It's like sudoku, but more flexible
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
Looks horrible. She'll love it.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
if she values her time, don't show her that page
the one under "back to main puzzles page"
they are all lovely
some more than others
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
i'm sure
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
hehe :) I know you prefer other types of game. I would ping you if I hear of a cool new word game, but you'll probably know of it long before I do.
hello @Cerberus
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@rumtscho i very very rarely play word games
I rarely play any kind of game other than video games
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
11:31 AM
@ElendilTheTall I thought you were a Scrabble player
and a high class scrabble player at that, seeing that you can beat Jolene
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
only occasionally with jojo
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
Hello.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
so, you're very good at it, but don't play it much?
how did you get to be good at it then?
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
¯\ _(ツ)_/¯ prior to playing with jojo, the last time I played it was when I was about 9
I just have a good vocabulary. I'm not much good at the strategy of it.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
OK. I think I have a good vocabulary too, but I'm not good at Scrabble or other anagram games.
But i must admit that my vocabulary in foreign languages functions somewhat differently than that in my mother tongue
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
11:33 AM
I find writing the letters down in a circle helps
it stops my brain trying to make words in the order they appear in a line
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
even though I'm so fluent that I can use English in sophisticated sentences with highly differentiated semantic nuances. This is somehow a use where it works well, knowing what I want to say and having the proper expression for it flow from my tongue/fingers
but when it comes to coming up with a word without semantic clues, just from letters, I'm stuck to very few alternatives.
It also works differently in other ways. I practically never get puns in English, and when I do, they don't feel funny to me. In Bulgarian, they work.
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
How about puzzles in general?
My mind resists puzzles. It doesn't want to do them.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
I like math-heavy puzzles
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
OK I probably don't.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
for example, I posted above one of my favorites, a slightly upgraded version of sudoku
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
11:37 AM
I like to solve problems that are either more real or more fuzzy than actual puzzles.
Like maximising a score in Civilization.
Or solving a coding problem.
Or a problem of literary interpretation.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
Oh, I like this kind of problems too
especiallz if the coding problem is not a real-world bug
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
Ah, for me it is the opposite.
I want it to be real. Otherwise, I can't be motivated to solve it.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
especially when Im learning a new language, doing exercises in it is fun
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
It's fun to play Scrabble on occasion, but as a social event rather than the actual game, for me. Staring at the tiles is boring for me.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
except when the language is Haskell, that's why I stopped learning it :)
but with "real world bug" I meant not that it's not applicable to something real
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
11:41 AM
Articulate! is a fun game
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
if I write a tiny script for myself, it's a real thing, and it's fun, usually
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
I can only be motivated to write that script if I actually want to use it for something.
@ElendilTheTall What genre?
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
@Cerberus word
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
the unpleasant part is when it is a bug in an application developed for sale to customers
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
it's a social game, a team game
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
11:43 AM
Hmm okay.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
then it is a PITA to find, and practically impossible to fix in a good way
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
you have a word on a card, with a list of words underneath that you can't say. you then have to make your team guess the word by giving clues
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
@rumtscho That I understand, if it's really impossible.
@ElendilTheTall Ah OK, that sounds like fun.
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
then of course there's Trivial Pursuit, but no one will play it with me
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
God, you enjoy that?
 
ElendilTheTall
ElendilTheTall
11:45 AM
i would if anyone would play it with me...
what's not to enjoy?
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
What football club won the Dortmundt cup in 1958 in a 9-1 game?
That's the sort of question I associate with TP.
Or what pop singer's favourite animal is chickens?
I was forced to play it last week.
I won, but it's still an excruciatingly unfun game.
 
rumtscho
rumtscho
@Cerberus haha, now that's a stupid question. Did you just think it up as an exaggeration, or does it occur in the game?
 
Cerberus
Cerberus
If there are two things I hate and suck at, it is factoids and pop culture.
@rumtscho We had an even worse question, I think it was about the pet of a pop singer's manager. I'm not exaggerating.
Supposedly this is famous among people who read about pop culture.
 
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