Biking to work
How far is work? No one steals your bike?
It’s about 5km, and a fairly nice ride despite my city doing very little for cyclists. No theft so far! I see there’s been lots of discussion on theft prevention but I’ll add my opinion: you need to make your bike less of a target by having a big scary looking lock on a bike that doesn’t look great. Just oversize the lock to such a degree that it’s not worth messing with. Also locking up in a higher traffic, more visible area is helpful.
A kryptonite bike lock and a chain to go through your rear tire. No one is going to want to mess with it.
This is a really naive comment. Even the best kryptonite locks can be cut through very quickly send regularly are.
One option: Kryptonite sells an insurance plan. As long as you can show some evidence that the bike was stolen - picture of a broken lock and a police report for instance - they’ll pay for a replacement.
I need to check if I need to renew mine, but it was something like $20 for several years.
I would be very wary of the terms. Do you know anyone who’s made a claim?
Locks just keep honest people honest
Yup, with battery powered grinders there’s really nothing stopping people. Even when it’s broad daylight and there’s a crowd.
You don’t need the best lock. Just a better one than the bikes next to yours. And maybe replace quick releases with proper screws.
I use Pinheads, definitely discourages stripping because you can’t undo them without the uniquely keyed tool.
My local bike shop installs them free if you buy them at the same time as the bike, but they were really easy to add on to mine myself.
I do the same. It’s free healthcare.
It can be more stressful though if there are many conflicts with cars on the way.
Yeah it really depends on the commute and how flat your city thinks cyclists should be
Start working out. Seriously. A little cardio and a little strength training will go a long long way to improving your quality of life, even if you’re not getting jacked.
Agree, and I’m someone who hates working out. Someone recently commented on exercising like “why would I choose to be miserable to 30 minutes a day”, and I can honestly say it’s because it makes you feel so much better the other 23 1/2 hours day. The smallest bit of cardio will make you more energetic, you don’t get winded going up stairs, you can move easier, it’s such a win. Yes it’s miserable, but it is worth it.
I’m so jealous. I have pots and now that I’m old, high intensity exercise is impossible. I bought a bike, if that doesn’t work out, I’m out of ideas. I have pretty severe depression and I long to feel that feeling every day.
I have severe pots too. Might sound obvious, but try aiming for medium intensity like fast walking and compound exercises like beginner-intermediate calisthenics such as inverted rows.
If even that is too difficult there’s stuff like recumbent bicycles but those are expensive.
Good news! Exercise helps against depression! Biking is a very good way to get moving if you have other health issues. I’d also look into swimming if you have access to a pool (or a lake or ocean where it’s safe to swim).
Oh, there are sooooo many types of exercises! Search and try things YouTube can offer. I sometimes do the smaaall morning routine- stretching neck, moving shoulders, waist, hips, knees and ankles. It takes like 5 mins, but feeling rest of the day like -15 years. It’s impossible to call them exercises, just a minimal movement. Like they did at school years ago before starting classes.
Quick question please : what kind of workout do you do ?
I mainly run, but running more than 3 times a week tires me and my knees start to hurt
you need to try different things to find what works for you.
there are tons of different ways to exercise. running is just kind of easiest because it has no equipment, training, etc requirements.
swimming is better than running for sure, but it requires access to a pool/water.
I’m long legged and can second cycling. It can be hard if your area isn’t flat, but it’s low impact and can serve as a healthier way to go grab groceries
Personally I cycle, I also have bad knees and I do think it’s easier on them
Also if you find a kind you like, once you’re in shape it stops sucking
I found this out to about 10 years ago and it changed everything. It’s amazing how much your physical health affects your mood and mental health. It’s not surprising, and it’s far from a secret, but it’s shocking how a little exercise and little less junk food can make you remember how you felt as a teenager.
This is the way. I’m fitter, stronger, and look better in my mid 40s than I did for most of my 30s. I hurt less, I’m more capable, and I look at the future with a lot more interest and less trepidation.
It’s amazing that I’m older yet I have significantly less back pain just from working out semi regularly.
I bought a sit stand desk. After my back was broken, games and work became difficult. Now I can do both while standing. One of the best purchases of my adult life.
I’m 35 years after a minor back injury that I ignored into a major maintenance issue. Sit-stand means I sit until my upper back hurts, and then I stand until my lower back hurts. Aaaaand repeat.
It’s good, though . I get to wobble and move as I work, and sometimes the work needs movement.
I’m 12 years after having my back broken. I totally understand what you mean. 🫂💚
Rewired, replumbed, insulated, and reroofed the house. Installed an Enphase System Controller 3 along with an IQ Combiner 5, and a pair of IQ5P batteries, have three IQ8A microinverters hooked to 400w bifacial panels so far. Have a total of 18 panels to install as I’m working on the racking. Also need replace the windows and a few other things but there is a lot of stuff in progress. Been a huge benefit and QOL boost overall.
Learning to Scuba dive helped my mental health a ton becoming a widower. Diving in general had been great for me, I just wish I could go more often.
Don’t be cheap with footwear or beds.
Or tires or flooring. Basically anything that goes between you and the ground
I’m going to insert my thoughts here.
Flooring? Unless it’s wood or tiles the rest of the options available are just floof.
Source: I have a good friend working at a construction materials depot. They stock a wide variety of flooring, from different manufacturer, and the materials only differ in finish not build. The materials are even supplied in bulk, not by category, and the end seller prices it has they see fit. An “oak finish” floor may be double or triple of what a standard “pine” or “spruce” costs.
I drive daily for professional reasons and the company I work for uses a fleet management service to maintain the vehicles. I’ve seen tyre brands being fitted that I was advised against for my personal vehicle at the store I usually bought tyres. The cheaper tyres last as long and in a few occasions longer than so called first line brands. This isn’t to say there are no poor quality tyres but the main manufacturers are not that much better from the rest of the pack as they used too.
Just a heads up that tire longevity is not a good indicator for a good tire, the primary factor is grip. In both both dry, wet and soaking wet conditions, warm and cold. That’s why stopping distance and slalom speeds are tested during the annual tire comparison review. A good tire can also pump more water to prevent aqua planing than a bad tire. A good tire will remain more soft and grippy in colder temperatures than a bad tire. Tire noise and ride comfort can also differ between good and bad tired.
Split from my abusive wife.
Respect. Sometimes ya gotta take stock and make the tough call for your sanity. Hardest transition you made, though, I bet.
Glad you got away, nobody deserves toxic people in their lives
Getting a college degree
What field and when?
In actuarial sciences like 4 years ago
Strength training, protein, and Creatine (10 grams a day) is a winning combination.
Bought a house in a quieter neighborhood. Apartment / condo life was destroying my mental health.
Switched to Linux and set up a Jellyfin server.
Laser eye surgery. No more glasses or contacts.
Among a million other things, all rented spaces should be inspected and required to be acoustically insulated. City living is great for the environment and your quality of life and there’s even nothing necessarily wrong with renting a home if you want to, but we need to regulate rental spaces where people are expected to live.
In no particular order :
- Made water my primary beverage. Turned out that chronic dehydration was causing several physical maladies that went away almost overnight once I started drinking more water.
- Stop caring so much about what others think about me. Especially strangers. Once I realized that the stranger in the grocery store does not continue to think about me once I am out of sight and if they do, I’ll never know it so it doesn’t matter. Living life based on what I think of me has been so much better for my mental health than living based on what I think others might think about me.
- Spend time alone with my thoughts. This allowed me to deal with issues and behaviors that I didn’t like about myself and / or identify stressors that may have been manifesting in misdirected ways. I did this way more when I was younger and angrier and it took a couple of years, but I slowly worked through so many aspects of myself that I didn’t like. Some I was able to change and others I learned to come to terms with and work around.
- When people ask “How’s it going” or similar such greetings, I tell them the truth. This is a bit of an extension of the last 2 points, but I found that sharing and verbalizing the good and the bad worked better for me than internalizing everything.
Make stuff. With your hands,stuff that will last when you walk away from it. I spent a lot of time doing admin/office work, and you can be productive as hell but have nothing to physically look at for your time. I took up woodwork, started doing more building work on my property, and every time I look at what I’ve made, it makes me feel more connected to my home, and more capable of dealing with these weird times we find ourselves in. Learn skills, try different things, round out your experience in life. Make stuff you think is beautiful, or that makes your life better in some way, it’s a great feeling
basically stopped trying to make other folks happy with me. and focusing on doing things that make me happy, even if other folks hate me for it.
Willful bachelorhood.
I have total license over my space, time, and money. I don’t have a wife or kids nagging me every day. I wake up to a quiet, clean house.
The whole culture is trying to tell me I’m a loser, but I found the cheat code to a better life and I’m not jealous of anyone stuck supporting another person.
Recently went on a date, and after a couple hours in the coffee shop we went for a walk where she started looking for something to eat. She said she doesn’t eat beef or chicken. She’s not vegetarian but she is gluten free and wants thai food but the thai place is closed so let’s walk and visibly confirm there’s no more thai places open and in my head I’m just like “OMFG I forgot how much I hate having to deal with another person while eating/trying to find food.”
The whole time I’m just like, I hope I can leave soon so I can go eat whatever the fuck I want.
Oof. That sounds like a chore.
Yea! I absolutely agree. None of my friends want to marry so there is no one messing up their space. Even the ones with boyfriends like to keep it that way because who wants to give up their personal freedom in exchange for a nagging husband and a kid asking whats for dinner. They have good jobs, take great vacations and their salary and time is their own. It really is a cheat code to a better life.
More drugs
What a coincidence, I just found drugs while cleaning at work.
Give the man that sits at that desk a raise, he’s definitely a hard worker!
Acid was great for me
Marrying and having kids.
Sure the baby year fucks you up. But once they can go to daycare, life starts to normalise again.
Turns out, caring for other people gives you purpose and makes you happy.
Good one. I don’t even think about it much anymore but it is a constant source of joy.
I love this for you, and I have a similar experience. Please people do not get married and have kids because you think it will make you happier. A lot of childhoods have been ruined this way.
