The "What's Up" Thread

[Gustav 6,407]

Hi everyone! It's Thursday night, and I'M BORED.

 

I want to know what's going on in your life--good, bad, ugly, exciting, or even boring. Literally anything is cool because I love a good bit of insight into who you are and how you work. I'll start!

 

I've been trying to mix up what I listen to on Spotify because for WAY too long, all I did was listen through my liked songs over and over. I ended up hating quite a bit that I should love and did love for a long time. Lately, I've been finding a lot that I really like by just picking a random playlist or a random artist every day.

 

If you like jazz (or even some forms of chill hip-hop), listen to this. I'll add that it's an absolute masterpiece if you know a thing or two about chord progressions and music theory.

If you like rock, listen to this.

If you like funky pop-rock (or just want to listen to something really fun), listen to this.

 

 

School-wise: it's final project time, and this semester I've got FOUR of them. It hasn't picked up quite yet, but I've got two weeks straight off from work at the start of May and I'll need them.

 

I've started going to the gym for the first time in, well, ever! I have a lot to learn, and two of the three times I've been, I just ran on the treadmill. I haven't run a mile straight since...I don't even know when, but both times I managed to do three miles in total (with breaks). I definitely need the exercise, because even though I've never needed to lose weight, I've also never been in shape, and those are two entirely different things.

 

I'm also trying to spend less money. Usually, I spend how I want because I never blow it all on anything huge, but I recently downloaded Truebill and found that I'm saving a bit less than I'd like to. I'm not in financial trouble at all, but it's made me a bit more conscious of things like "do I really need to buy a snack on my run to the store for something completely unrelated?"

 

Also, HOW DOES ONE FIND AN APARTMENT? I'm poking around a little at listings for next semester, and my problem isn't that I can't find anything so much as it's that I have no idea what to pick and there's so much available. I don't know what to look for, and I'm not confident I can pick anything without seeing it in person.

 

 

But enough about me. What's going on with you?

[Berocka 2,263]

Every week I am learning something new about Babies, Birth and Parenting. For something that happens to almost everyone and people say is very instinctive there is a lot to learn.

 

Trying to record as many podcasts as possible before the baby is born so I can continue my lead for the S84 TPE class.

 

Trying to get Super Coach up and running, obviously I don't know what the BOG think, but I believe there is a possibility it could become a thing.

 

I don't know what it is like over there but the rental market here sucks you have to apply for everything and try and offer above asking to ever be considered so I wish you best of luck with your search for an apartment.

[KaleebtheMighty 1,509]

Currently doing my absolute best in raising a 4 month old and a 2 year old. It is a battle of attrition every day 

Working on managing the Red Wolves and just having a blast with it!

Work is great, I was recognized for an all performers award at our sales conference in Las Vegas earlier this month. I work in a medical instrumentation/testing company and it's bittersweet with Covid going on, because we are doing really well. But it's a good company to work for that is doing their best to provide great products for everyone to test and use, and they definitely put people and their employees first.

My wife and I are going to Italy in a few weeks for a much needed vacation and we are very excited!

Also looking into getting a house but with how everything is going, who knows if that's going to happen anytime soon.

[Daniel Janser 2,169]

Not going to reveal much here right now, just wanted to give my two cents on the appartement thingy. I would say location is paramount. If it is conveniently located in the vicinity of where you need to be on a daily basis (Uni?) you can save on transportation/fuel and normally also grocery stores are nearby which is a convenience (and again saves you fuel/transportation). Of course this normally comes at a premium and I am sure you as an engineer(?) can figure out, which of the two costs are lower. It also depends on personal preference... normally 'centrally located' is tantamount to 'noisy' and 'populated'. So if you value your privacy/moments of silence more than hard cash, the suburbs may fit your bill better than a conveniently located bachelor pad smack in the middle of all the hubub...

[Arce 755]

We are almost 3 months in with kid #2 and for having 2 kids 10 months apart, I would dare to say we are killing the game. Our son is 1 year, and 1 month. Our little 3 month sweetheart found her smile, and is sleeping for us 7-9 hours straight at night which is wonderful. My wife and I switch on and off every night for her to keep ourselves fresh, even though she has given us a nights sleep. I instituted the idea of getting her used to her crib off the bat and it has worked nicely so far. Our one year old is running around the house, blabbing away and loves books already. Overall being a dad has been a chaotic, but amazing experience. It is as they say. The older they get, the more I fall in love with them. You put in the hard work to get to the better steps I would say. Not that the toddler stage is not challenging, but I enjoy it far more than the newborn stage. My son is my best buddy, always with me and wants to be apart of what I am doing.

 

Work wise, we are busy as hell despite me finding Discord time to unwind when I can. We are rolling out two-factor authentication, implementing a new e-mail routing security system, getting a completely EDR solution, getting 2k+ new Chromebooks ready for next school year the fun just never ends. it is going to be a very busy summer for us.

 

Personal life, the baby stage has meant not seeing friends as much which has been the one downside since I love getting together with people. I know this is only a temporary "set back" so my wife and I are setting something up for a day/night out in Atlantic City which is one of my favorite places to go. I went there for my 21st and usually go 3-4 times a year. We haven't been since the start of COVID so this will be an incredible reunion as the 2+ years of not being there is by far the longest stretch. There is nothing like getting down there during warm weather early, and doing a bar crawl in the casinos, sportsbooks, beach bars, hitting the beach, then going in for a shower. While the girls get ready, me and the guys hit the casino and gamble a bit then we do dinner, and the whole night is ahead!

[JardyB10 4,865]

Is this where we post What’s Up?

 

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by JardyB10

[NSG 498]

Hm, interesting thread. Before I say anything about my life, that jazz/hip hop song was dope. I like jazz (and play it) and hip hop isn't that bad (Taylor Swift country ftw tho)

 

As for me, I'm all right. School continues to just kinda happen, I guess. With a month to go it's all a little repititive and stuff. Woke up this morning and thought "Damn, I can't wait to go to sleep tonight" and to be honest, I still feel like that, 14 hours later. Been trying to cut out sim leagues from my schedule (yeah, VHL is here to stay) and it has been helping my schedule, but I've still got work to do. Got a project for Career Prep (stupid class, my God. I could make a whole article about why it sucks) due Wednesday and something for History due May 3. However, Imma be at Universal on a band trip from the 28th-30th so tragically I have less time than you think, and then there's just gonna be more random shit assigned.

 

Concerning not-school stuff: For my birthday (40 days-ish ago) I got an Apple gift card, and recently I used some of my newfound wealth on buying two Adele albums (21 and 25). Both absolute bops, and her voice is marvelous. Maybe I'll buy 30 or 19 or some other album by someone (might be One Direction. Might be Gillian Welch. Or The Weeknd. I have no idea), but I do have to save for the4 remaining Taylor's Versions of her albums. Soccer's been fine-ish, but playing 7v7 at age 15 is really lame. Plus I hafta play goalie most of the time, and I hate that (except last practice. I had just gotten some audition results [my placement didn't surprise me. The placement of other people did tho] and I spent almost the entire time brooding and thinking and looking at the trees just beyond the complex), and even though I'm better at goalie than everyone else, we do better when I play center back, since I can just truck people and outrun them and all that fun jazz. Church life is going along nicely as well. 

 

For now, just tryna have fun and keep my 4.25 GPA and ya know, stuff. 

[fishy 1,757]

39 minutes ago, NSG said:

Imma be at Universal on a band trip from the 28th-30th

yooo, what do you play?! i played alto sax for like 7 years!

[Berocka 2,263]

1 hour ago, NSG said:

Adele albums (21 and 25).

Will it be hard to understand 25 with not having 22-24? Like will you miss a lot of plot points?

[Gustav 6,407]

1 hour ago, NSG said:

Hm, interesting thread. Before I say anything about my life, that jazz/hip hop song was dope. I like jazz (and play it) and hip hop isn't that bad (Taylor Swift country ftw tho)

 

Definitely look further into the artist then! Most of his stuff is instrumental and absolutely filthy if you're a fan of good chord progressions.

 

What do you listen to in general? I love to talk music.

[NSG 498]

1 hour ago, fishy said:

yooo, what do you play?! i played alto sax for like 7 years!

Trombone! Alto saxes are pretty cool tho and I mighta been one if my dad hadn’t played trombone as well

 

24 minutes ago, Berocka said:

Will it be hard to understand 25 with not having 22-24? Like will you miss a lot of plot points?

I think you misunderstood. The name of the 2 albums are “21” (which she released at age 21) and “25“ (released at age 25). There is no 22, 23, or 24

 

8 minutes ago, Gustav said:

 

Definitely look further into the artist then! Most of his stuff is instrumental and absolutely filthy if you're a fan of good chord progressions.

 

What do you listen to in general? I love to talk music.

Ooh nice, will do  

 

For me, it’s a fair bit. Mainstream country music is generally what I listen to, I like Taylor Swift as a singer a lot, but I do like also listen to a lot of pop (especially synth-pop and 80s inspired popfor some reason). Honestly my favorite type of music though is a little more on the folksy side (Taylor Swift’s 2 pandemic albums are what got me into this sort of thing, but I do very much enjoy Gillian Welch and Dolly Parton’s debut album is also very good). I do have some other random selections, too, though, all inspired by my parents (Will Smith, ABBA, and Green Day, but also dance music since my mom taught Zumba for a good while). My horizon of music still isn’t amazingly broad but it’s definitely more diverse than it was a year ago.

Edited April 23, 2022 by NSG

[Gustav 6,407]

2 minutes ago, NSG said:

For me, it’s a fair bit. Mainstream country music is generally what I listen to, but I do like also listen to a lot of pop. Honestly my favorite type of music though is a little more on the folksy side (Taylor Swift’s 2 pandemic albums are what got me into this sort of thing, but I do very much enjoy Gillian Welch and Dolly Parton’s debut album is also very good). I do have some other random selections, too, though, all inspired by my parents (Will Smith, ABBA, and Green Day, but also dance music since my mom taught Zumba for a good while). My horizon of music still isn’t amazingly broad but it’s definitely more diverse than it was a year ago.

 

If you like a good blend of folk/country/pop, you *may* find the Grateful Dead interesting if you've never listened to them before. I don't know my country but some of their stuff is in that vein (it's not for everybody, but if you like them you might really like them).

 

Also, jazz trumpet player here! Keep it up for sure--it's shown me a lot of good music and made me a lot better at understanding it as well.

[Berocka 2,263]

1 hour ago, NSG said:

Trombone

I played this for like 8 years

 

1 hour ago, NSG said:

I think you misunderstood.

It's just my shitty version of humour

[NSG 498]

9 hours ago, Berocka said:

I played this for like 8 years

 

It's just my shitty version of humour

Oh sorry lol

[Ledge 1,131]

Lots of really cool shit happening in people's lives, mine is arguably less exciting but I can manage.

 

School is a constant, and will be for a while. My grades are fine, I got a 93 average I think, and taking math and french courses a grade up. Exams are within a month or two, and I can predict I won't have much time for VHL for maybe a two week period there. Until then, and after then, I will be here. 

 

Hockey is interesting. I'm entering my U16 year, which is my OHL draft year, and some of my friends are keen on getting picked. I played AA (second best level) last year, on one of the best teams in the province, and a lot of my teammates have left to play for AAA (top level) teams. The issue is, most teams, especially in the OHL-factory of the GTHL, have already filled out their rosters. I considered going to a very weak AAA team in another center, but I figured that the advantage of being seen by OHL scouts would be diminished by being pummeled by powerhouses all year and the center is not close. I also went to a few skates for the AAA team in my center, but they have informed me that I will not be making the team. So I think my best bet at this point is to put together a dominant AA season and hopefully make U17 AAA once I grow and mature physically a bit, then ideally play Junior A then at either an American or Canadian university. It's a pipe dream right now, but I've moved my goals past the OHL and onto the NCAA, which I guess is better for late-blooming players. I'll ultimately just go as far as I can.

 

Yeah, that's pretty much it. School and hockey make up most of my life right now. I do plan to ask for tickets to the Red Hot Chili Peppers this summer for my birthday, when they come to Toronto. 

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

I have to travel to Scottsdale, AZ for 4 days next week for a 2 day conference - Monday and Thursday are essentially washes for travel days. These things are always a giant waste of time - 75% of it could be done virtually or just isn't important. It's exacerbated by the fact that one of my colleagues is on vacation until the beginning of May and I'm they're primary back up - it was going to be hard enough to not fall too far behind for losing essentially 4 days next week, but I'm going to have to basically just ignore this person's work except for the absolute emergencies, which won't be fun for them to come back to. I've already spoken to management about this and they understand and agree with my assessment/plan.

 

I've been getting into play competitive 6v6 EASHL leagues for about a year now and it's still very fun - easily the most fun I've had playing this game mode since it came out in NHL 09.

 

I'm relatively certain the house across the street from me is selling for at least $75k higher than I paid for mine in Jan 2021, which is nice.

[Jack Johnson 124]

1 hour ago, Fire Fletcher said:

I have to travel to Scottsdale, AZ for 4 days next week for a 2 day conference

I live in Scottsdale. Welcome to Arizona @Fire Fletcher!

Edited April 24, 2022 by Jack Johnson

[Gustav 6,407]

3 hours ago, Fire Fletcher said:

I have to travel to Scottsdale, AZ for 4 days next week for a 2 day conference - Monday and Thursday are essentially washes for travel days. These things are always a giant waste of time - 75% of it could be done virtually or just isn't important. It's exacerbated by the fact that one of my colleagues is on vacation until the beginning of May and I'm they're primary back up - it was going to be hard enough to not fall too far behind for losing essentially 4 days next week, but I'm going to have to basically just ignore this person's work except for the absolute emergencies, which won't be fun for them to come back to. I've already spoken to management about this and they understand and agree with my assessment/plan.

 

I've been getting into play competitive 6v6 EASHL leagues for about a year now and it's still very fun - easily the most fun I've had playing this game mode since it came out in NHL 09.

 

I'm relatively certain the house across the street from me is selling for at least $75k higher than I paid for mine in Jan 2021, which is nice.

 

What sort of conference is it? I'm definitely going to have to go to some academic/scientific ones as a grad student and have absolutely no idea what to expect.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

3 hours ago, Jack Johnson said:

I live in Scottsdale. Welcome to Arizona @Fire Fletcher!

 

It's 99 on Tuesday. That's 25 degrees too hot.

 

1 hour ago, Gustav said:

What sort of conference is it? I'm definitely going to have to go to some academic/scientific ones as a grad student and have absolutely no idea what to expect.

 

National sales conference for work (insurance)....nothing exciting.

[Jack Johnson 124]

1 hour ago, Fire Fletcher said:

 

It's 99 on Tuesday. That's 25 degrees too hot.

99 is only the beginning check the weather in june. last year the hottest was 118

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

7 hours ago, Jack Johnson said:

99 is only the beginning check the weather in june. last year the hottest was 118

 

I was there a couple years ago in August and the high one of the days was 110.....just looking outside made me sweat.

[Jack Johnson 124]

44 minutes ago, Fire Fletcher said:

I was there a couple years ago in August and the high one of the days was 110.....just looking outside made me sweat.

yup, every year that is how we all feel

[samx 1,173]

I have like 3 weeks until I'm done with my first year of college which is cool I suppose. Got alot of work to do that I don't want to do but that's expected. Slowly but surely making it through. I am very excited to go home.

 

Rowing just had our state meet which went very well. Lots of boats going home with medals and we won team overall. 3 more races over next 2 weeks and then nationals for some at the end of May. I have a 2k tomorrow which makes me a little sad because who likes those? no one. But hopefully it will go well. Looking to PR and secure my place in a boat for upcoming races. It's been a great first year of rowing and I'm excited for the rest of the season along with all the future seasons to come.

[jhatty8 666]

I'm a high school track and cross-country runner. Not the best, however I'm one of the better distance runners on my team and could probably run at a local D3 college if I wanted to. Right now, I'm in my junior year track season and it's technically my first ever. Freshman year was COVID, sophomore year I suffered a stress fracture and was out for pretty much the entire track season.  My goal at the beginning of the year was to run a sub-5:00 mile and I (barely) accomplished that last week with a time of 4:59.8. Now, I'm just trying to keep pushing that time every meet and also stay in shape for my final cross-country season. My best time there is a 17:23 5k (3.1 mi.) and my goal is to run a sub-17:00 5k.

 

For those curious, no running is not fun. Here's to doing it six days a week.

[Jack Johnson 124]

3 hours ago, jhatty8 said:

For those curious, no running is not fun. Here's to doing it six days a week.

i could not imagine