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Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

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Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#161

Post by dmje »

huseyinkeles wrote: post #156
eskimobloood wrote: post #147

Buying a pen plotter last summer was one of the best decision for a while. As I start my journey into programming with generative art, using macromedia director and processing, I always wanted to be able to create my on physical prints. So for the last months I got back to have fun writing code in my spare time. Some examples: https://twitter.com/eskimobloood/status/1366300689652187140 https://twitter.com/eskimoblooo…

They look very interesting. Could you share some resources on how to get into this?

Yeh, +1 to that - have been experimenting with generative art as the basis to my printmaking, and would love to see some more on this..

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#162

Post by eskimobloood »

huseyinkeles wrote: post #156
eskimobloood wrote: post #147

Buying a pen plotter last summer was one of the best decision for a while. As I start my journey into programming with generative art, using macromedia director and processing, I always wanted to be able to create my on physical prints. So for the last months I got back to have fun writing code in my spare time. Some examples: https://twitter.com/eskimobloood/status/1366300689652187140 https://twitter.com/eskimoblooo…

They look very interesting. Could you share some resources on how to get into this?

Sure. The plotter I've bought is the AxiDraw SE/A3[1]. There is an Inkscape plugin so you can easily plot SVG graphics. I generate the SVG graphics using small JavaScript programs. Thats already it. Here[2] is a more detailed resource list to dig into the topic

[1]https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/908 [2]https://project-awesome.org/beardicus/awesome-plotters

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#164

Post by globular-toast »

eproxus wrote: post #118
rocketbop wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I stopped contacting most of my friends over 9 months ago and have not heard back from most for 6 months to never Isn't it possible some of them are thinking the same in reverse, avoiding contact with you because you haven't contacted them in 9 months? Friendships often come out of being stuck together in some way, either work or school or sport or locality or social routine, and they can be hard to maintain when t…

Depends. Sometimes you realize that you’ve always been the one initializing the interactions and when you stop nothing happens anymore. That might be a sign it’s a lopsided relationship.

Some people, like me, never initiate interactions with anyone unless they have to. This isn't because I don't value their friendship. It's because of the high mental load and the many other things that take priority when allocating that capacity. For me, the choice to contact someone is not competing with no-ops like watching TV etc, it's competing with work like keeping my finances in order, fixing stuff in the house and long-term planning. To be friends with me you have to be OK with that. But if you expect me to "pay my way" by initiating things myself, or if you're also like me, then we'll probably never be friends. That's fine, though. We can't be friends with everyone.

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#165

Post by golergka »

d3nj4l wrote: post #65

Working from home. I realised being in an office - especially an open-plan office - was setting off my social anxiety all the time. Working in a place where I could choose to engage with people instead of having it forced upon me made it so much easier to work. I became a lot more productive and started enjoying what I did, even picking up more side projects and learning actively. It's a shame it's coming to an end,…

Was going to answer with this as well. I have never met my colleagues and boss, and have never even heard their voice after the job interview, and almost all of my communication with them is asynchronous, without requiring immediate answer, and it has been such a good thing to my mental health.

Unfortunately, most of the western, first-world companies who are offering nice salaries for international remote workers ($60-80k after tax and above) do not trust them and require insane control, with screen recording, constant zoom presence, etc. But just as remote work has finally won over the industry, async communication will too — if for nothing else than what a boost to productivity it is.

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#166

Post by ObsoleteNerd »

eskimobloood wrote: post #147

Buying a pen plotter last summer was one of the best decision for a while. As I start my journey into programming with generative art, using macromedia director and processing, I always wanted to be able to create my on physical prints. So for the last months I got back to have fun writing code in my spare time. Some examples: https://twitter.com/eskimobloood/status/1366300689652187140 https://twitter.com/eskimoblooo…

That’s so cool. I had no idea this was a thing and it’s right up my alley.

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#167

Post by smitty1e »

hliyan wrote: post #66

Starting each day with 20 minutes of the type of meditation espoused here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaNO09cPS6c In terms the more scientifically-inclined will understand: everything that is outside your current, immediate perception is a simulation in your mind and therefore is both inaccurate and prone to reflect your hopes and fears (especially fears). Simply dialing down those mental simulations of the past…

One's metaphhsical commitments are huge.

My community of faith is/has been the bedrock of life for years.

Watching the world react in ways that make no sense would be a complete downer if one could not look past human folly and call into the core of existence.

Best wishes to all for joy, forgiveness, and healing.

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#168

Post by huseyinkeles »

eskimobloood wrote: post #162
huseyinkeles wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They look very interesting. Could you share some resources on how to get into this?

Sure. The plotter I've bought is the AxiDraw SE/A3[1]. There is an Inkscape plugin so you can easily plot SVG graphics. I generate the SVG graphics using small JavaScript programs. Thats already it. Here[2] is a more detailed resource list to dig into the topic [1] https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/908 [2] https://project-awesome.org/beardicus/awesome-plotters

Thanks!

I already have a 3D printer and I’ve seen some projects that made it possible to use the 3D printer as a plotter. So probably I’d try that route first.

I was actually more interested in the software aspect to generate those arts.

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#169

Post by perfecto_maduro »

going out for a walk daily. usually between 4000 and 12000 steps. Even when it was cold.

I know it’s not great health advice, but smoking a cigar during my walk motivated me to do it. was more enjoyable/interesting given the repetitive walk destinations around. plus it has a bit of a calming or meditative aspect to it for me. The senses, flavours, ritual etc.

Re: Ask HN: What was the biggest contributor to your happiness in the past year?

#170

Post by asiachick »

eproxus wrote: post #118
rocketbop wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I stopped contacting most of my friends over 9 months ago and have not heard back from most for 6 months to never Isn't it possible some of them are thinking the same in reverse, avoiding contact with you because you haven't contacted them in 9 months? Friendships often come out of being stuck together in some way, either work or school or sport or locality or social routine, and they can be hard to maintain when t…

Depends. Sometimes you realize that you’ve always been the one initializing the interactions and when you stop nothing happens anymore. That might be a sign it’s a lopsided relationship.

Or it's just one of you is "an organizer" and the other isn't.

In my own friendships, in my current setup, I rarely the one who initiates. That was different decades ago but it's how it is at the moment.

My friends do all the inviting and I just show up (show up online this last year).

Further, some people just act as the magnet everyone follows. No idea why but they are. So for example another group, out of ~12 people it's only 1 or 2 of them that organizes most meetups. Same with another group.

To me this is a skill thing. Some people are skilled at cooking, some people are skilled at programming, some people are skilled at reaching out to others.

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