Blog Posts

Rebranding to Avoider.net Before 2023

Site Updates | 01 January 2023

This online thing I have has been going on for more than ten years now. It’s a hobby at best and I just like having it around to focus on whenever I don’t have anything else going on. While I haven’t gotten any significant traction throughout the years, that wasn’t the point of this whole thing. However, as time passes and I get more weighed down by responsibilities, catching more eyeballs becomes more imperative. After all, since I spend quality time pouring my soul into this thing at my leisure, perhaps it’s time I consider doing it seriously for once. (more…)

I Had Cellulitis, Here’s What I Learned

by: Sonny Go

Blog, Guides, Health and Fitness | 30 December 2022

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…)

The Battle of Alesia Continues to Inspire Me

by: Sonny Go

Essays, History | 16 December 2022

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…)

More on Playing Lame and the Art of Defense

by: Sonny Go

Combat, Esports, Features, History | 06 December 2022

Winky Wright, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and Hungrybox

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…)

Fool on the Hill: Cyberpunk 2077 Tarot Card Meanings

by: Sonny Go

Analysis, Video Games | 08 November 2022

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…)

The Hans Niemann Chess Cheating Controversy

by: Sonny Go

Chess, News | 01 November 2022

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…)

Getting a Synology and My Past NAS Experience

by: Sonny Go

Impressions, Storage | 21 October 2022

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…)

Maono AU-AM100 Maonocaster Audio Interface Review

by: Sonny Go

Peripherals, Reviews | 20 October 2022

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…)

Akko 5075S Barebone Kit Custom Keyboard Review

by: Sonny Go

Peripherals, Reviews | 26 September 2022

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…)

Canelo vs. GGG 3: Perfectly Calculated Risk

by: Sonny Go

Analysis, Boxing | 22 September 2022

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is in an interesting spot in his career. He’s in his prime at the age of 32 and is one of the most technically interesting fighters in boxing today. He tried to capture the light-heavyweight world title only to be upset by Dmitry Bivol, who turned out to have the perfect game plan against Canelo’s style. Having taken the second loss in his career, he set out to prove that he’s still the king of middleweight not by fighting the other top contenders of the division, but by completing a trilogy with a 40-year-old Gennady Golovkin. I can’t promise much with this analysis of Canelo vs. GGG 3, but it’s a nice conclusion to what had been an exciting trilogy. (more…)

The Three Levels of Combat

by: Sonny Go

Analysis, Combat | 19 September 2022

My eternal quest to find the parallels between real fighting and video games will go on for as long as I live because I have to compensate for my lack of skill and talent in both. My unwillingness to dedicate a significant amount of time in practicing either of them is equaled by my overwhelming need to seem knowledgeable and insightful by bridging the gap between them in increasingly convoluted ways. Let’s now talk about the three levels of combat. (more…)

Cartuber Explains Postmodernism Better Than Jordan Peterson

by: Sonny Go

Life and Philosophy, Opinion, YouTube | 01 September 2022

As of this writing, I’m going through this 3-hour epic on lobster enthusiast Jordan B. Peterson, Canada’s benzo-addled middle child. Mind you, I’m not 100% a JP hater as I like it whenever he plies his actual field of expertise. I even find his lectures and interviews insightful. However, he’s insufferable whenever he delves into subjects outside his scope. Whether we like it or not, he’s a leading thinker in today’s world due to his online influence. After years of teetering between respect, indifference, and skepticism for Dr. Peterson, here’s my blog post about him. (more…)