Bear with me while I ramble about an analogy that may take at least 2,000 words to explain. This is a world I’ve been exploring for the past three months, and I’ve been having fun learning about it thus far. Coming into the game this late, I believe I’ve been seeing it in a unique light, different from how most people see it. Money — the thing which makes our world go round — is much like the forces that govern fantasy worlds. Many seek its power, but few harness it. (more…)
Yeah, I pre-purchased Diablo IV. I was tempted to buy it thanks to one of the Messenger group chats I’m in, which is full of aging gamers like me who still yearn for the nostalgia of old Blizzard games. A decade ago, Diablo III turned out to be a disappointment, not only due to its disastrous launch, but also because it didn’t have the same magic that Diablo II had. This latest iteration is perhaps the last gasp of a dying company or the beginning of a resurgence. I got my first glimpse of it with the early access beta from 17-19 March 2023. (more…)
It’s high time I write more about finance on this blog. Unlike the last time, when I wrote about the GameStop short squeeze of January 2021, I now have actual skin in the game. For the past three months, I’ve been getting into stock trading, and it has been both a blast due to the learning experience and a stressful experience due to the initially losing trades. I knew what I was getting into, but I didn’t know that I was going into a market that was scarred by the ravages of 2022. Let’s talk about bank runs and the ongoing nightmare of the 2023 market. (more…)
This was a really old draft that I sat on for about five years or so that was meant for a video, but I got lazy and never finished it. I should’ve made it a blog post first to workshop it, so I’m doing so now — better late than never. This follows up on my ramblings about “the revolving door”, which is about my observations of people’s warped perceptions about talent and skill. Let’s take a look at the learning process and the deliberate practice necessary to become proficient at anything under the sun. (more…)
The thing about existing in this universe while housed in these squidgy mortal vessels is that illness can come at you when you least expect it. You could be born to go on as an invincible hobo who subsists on moonshine and sewer rats, or you could be born as a Habsburg. While modern medicine can help extend your lifespan, that depends on the affliction. But the x-factor when it comes to the wonders of modern medicine is that it’s hella expensive. I was reminded of that recently, adding to my regret that I haven’t gotten proper health insurance yet (I’ve been planning to get one sometime in 2023). (more…)
I’ve written a good bit about military history on this blog, comparing generals to martial artists and professional gamers. Since I’ve been learning more about them and their battles, perhaps it’s time I specifically focus on them to expound on what made them tick and what interests me about their motivations and leadership. Each has their own motivations and styles of leadership, but there was one who was way ahead of his time and displayed a quality similar to entrepreneurs and world leaders of today. (more…)
This is a follow-up to one of my favorite blog posts I’ve ever written. It’s understandable why defense is seen as lame and boring, while self-sacrificial offense is seen as valiant and entertaining. We can have idiots who deliberately put themselves in harm’s way and get people cheering their lungs off while downing gallons of Bud Light, then not be given even an ounce of shit about when they can barely remember their own names years down the line. That’s especially true for combat sports, but we can also look at other fields as well and see how the fundamentally sound are also given the short end of the stick, even in hindsight. (more…)
After almost two years, it seems like Cyberpunk 2077 was able to pull off a No Man’s Sky by pulling itself out of the pit of shame with great effort, along with help from the hit Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. I haven’t finished watching the show yet, but it already got me back to the game after 20 months. While my return hasn’t been entirely smooth as I’ve forgotten much of the combat system, I clearly remember the story and setting. That includes a mission in the game that I thought was clever and creative in its own way — Fool on the Hill, which has you looking for holographic tarot murals throughout Night City. (more…)
Pardon me while I put up a brief write-up on this months-old news as I’ve been following it for quite a while. I don’t really have anything new to say about it, but I find it so fascinating as an on-and-off chess fan over the years. I’ve followed Magnus Carlsen since he was 16, and his 2022 has been the most seemingly eventful year in his career due to how different it has been thus far. Meanwhile, Hans Niemann is a fascinating person for both the right and wrong reasons. This situation has been going on for the past two months and has only started to cool down as it has now resulted in a $100 million lawsuit. (more…)
In July 2022, I gave myself a belated birthday present of sorts by pulling the trigger on a longtime wishlist item. I finally acquired network-attached storage, which I’ve been coveting for years. While my wallet is now much lighter, I believe it’s worth the expense to have my own file server with multiple applications. This post chronicles my experience with the Synology DS920+ and what I’ve learned so far with it in the first few months, as well as my past history with data storage. Perhaps you can learn what to expect in case you wish to get your own NAS. (more…)
For the longest time, I’ve coveted famous streamers for their setups, especially their audio gear. I would yearn for a camera with good enough visual fidelity to take advantage of Nvidia Broadcast, as well as a dynamic microphone fit for professional voice work and an audio interface to match. This year, I gained the ability to obtain all the gear I ever wanted, and I did. While it didn’t make me a better content creator, I get to figure out whichever piece of gear is truly great and which is overrated. I also got to try the Maono AU-AM100 Maonocaster — something I had high expectations for, but ended up being disappointed. (more…)
After customizing my Keychron K2 V2, I thought I was done with keyboards. Perhaps I should’ve known that it wasn’t yet my endgame and I would soon yearn for more. It took almost half a year for me to feel the itch again, but I did eventually get the urge again to look for something new, especially one with a knob. I also wanted to try using a new switch since I wanted to see if there was something even more tactile than the Akko CS Jelly Blue switches I had on my Keychron. I ended up getting an Akko 5075S, and it turned out pretty amazing. (more…)
