Entries Tagged 'health' ↓

10 simple ways to save yourself from messing up your life

I tend to agree with most of them too, from my relatively small amount of life experience so far.

10 simple ways to save yourself from messing up your life I tend to agree with most of them too, from my relatively small amount of life experience so far.

Well, it’s been ages since I wrote on here about what I’m up to generally with life – so I thought I’d give everyone an update.

PhD

No, I’m afraid you can’t call me Dr. Pitt yet. I’m still writing my thesis and getting a few bits of analysis out of the way. I’m aiming for the end of July, but then I’ve been aiming to be finished in a couple of months for a while now. Grr. I’m seriously sick of the subject – don’t get me wrong, it’s somewhat interesting, but I feel like I’ve departed from the science I’m most interested in. Stuff like AI, genomics, and system simulation.

I got a writing scholarship to write a scientific paper about the spread of Argentine ant in New Zealand, so that’ll help with finances. My scholarship ran out back in February, and since then I’ve been on the student allowance. It’s tough going from approx $25k/year to an allowance, but I’m managing somewhat.

After PhD

I’m not too sure what I’ll do afterwards. I’ll be spending a couple of months developing a GUI or web-based version of my simulation tool and being paid technician rates, so that’ll tide me over while I decide. Currently my plan is to move to Wellington after I’ve finished up the GUI. From there I have a few options:

• Consulting for AgResearch – I presented my work at a weed modelling conference in Hanmer in April. AgResearch had a similar project to my work which has been on hold for a few years while seeking new funding. They recently got some, and were looking for people to help with it, expressing interest in recruiting me.
• Senior Biosecurity officer – There is a position for DoC (I think) who want someone to take up this role. I probably couldn’t go directly into the position, but they indicated they are willing to groom the appropriate person towards this position.
• Some miscellaneous programming job – if all else fails, I’m a pretty damn good programmer (in comparison to most Computer Science graduates).
• Get a part time job, work on my business ideas – I could just get some menial part time job, maybe a IT/customer support role, and work on my website ideas in my remaining time.

I don’t plan to stay in Wellington for too long, maybe a year or so. Then once I have a little cash I’ll bugger off overseas and see all those people who have already made there way to Australia and the UK. Of course I might decide to be a complete freak and run away to China, Japan or Dubai where there is mad cash for researchers doing some totally whack stuff (Totally whack is my new phrase).

DJing

I’ve so far had two events in clubs (more here and here) and one outdoor event at KiwiBurn. I have another couple events lined up in June, so I’m looking forward to those. Generally my sets have been pretty well received, and I get a real buzz from the whole experience. It’s definitely something I’d like to keep up with and take as far as I can.

Oh and I was invited back to Curve in Wellington to play this Friday. Fun

Life

I’m keeping mostly healthy. Emotionally, I’m a bit a fragile after parting ways with my ex. Still, I’ve been meeting lots of new people and generally forming new friendships. Friendships which I realised I was lacking in when I became single.

Oh, and this is cool

This keyboard I’ve mentioned before. It’s awesome and is now available for pre-order! I’d so be buying it if I had the cash.

Well, it's been ages since I wrote on here about what I'm up to generally with life - so I thought I'd give everyone an update. PhD No, I'm afraid you can't call me Dr. Pitt yet. I'm still writing my thesis and getting a few bits of analysis out of the way. I'm aiming for the end of July, but then I've been aiming to be finished in a couple of months for a while now. Grr. I'm seriously sick of the subject - don't get me wrong, it's somewhat interesting, but I feel like I've departed from the science I'm most interested in. Stuff like AI, genomics, and system simulation. I got a writing scholarship to write a scientific paper about the spread of Argentine ant in New Zealand, so that'll help with finances. My scholarship ran out back in February, and since then I've been on the student allowance. It's tough going from approx $25k/year to an allowance, but I'm managing somewhat. After PhD I'm not too sure what I'll do afterwards. I'll be spending a couple of months developing a GUI or web-based version of my simulation tool and being paid technician rates, so that'll tide me over while I decide. Currently my plan is to move to Wellington after I've finished up the GUI. From there I have a few options: Consulting for AgResearch - I presented my work at a weed modelling conference in Hanmer in April. AgResearch had a similar project to my work which has been on hold for a few years while seeking new funding. They recently got some, and were looking for people to help with it, expressing interest in recruiting me. Senior Biosecurity officer - There is a position for DoC (I think) who want someone to take up this role. I probably couldn't go directly into the position, but they indicated they are willing to groom the appropriate person towards this position. Some miscellaneous programming job - if all else fails, I'm a pretty damn good programmer (in comparison to most Computer Science graduates). Get a part time job, work on my business ideas - I could just get some menial part time job, maybe a IT/customer support role, and work on my website ideas in my remaining time. I don't plan to stay in Wellington for too long, maybe a year or so. Then once I have a little cash I'll bugger off overseas and see all those people who have already made there way to Australia and the UK. Of course I might decide to be a complete freak and run away to China, Japan or Dubai where there is mad cash for researchers doing some totally whack stuff (Totally whack is my new phrase). DJing I've so far had two events in clubs (more here and here) and one outdoor event at KiwiBurn. I have another couple events lined up in June, so I'm looking forward to those. Generally my sets have been pretty well received, and I get a real buzz from the whole experience. It's definitely something I'd like to keep up with and take as far as I can. Oh and I was invited back to Curve in Wellington to play this Friday. Fun :D Life I'm keeping mostly healthy. Emotionally, I'm a bit a fragile after parting ways with my ex. Still, I've been meeting lots of new people and generally forming new friendships. Friendships which I realised I was lacking in when I became single. Oh, and this is cool This keyboard I've mentioned before. It's awesome and is now available for pre-order! I'd so be buying it if I had the cash.

If your a New Zealander and have any interest in supplements/vitamins then please check this out.

The NZ government is trying introduce regulations that will require supplements to go through an expensive approval process and result in:

• Prices for New Zealand Vitamins and Supplements will increase between 30% and 100%
• Approximately 60% of your favourite New Zealand product range will be forced from the market due to the new regulatory costs
• Effective doses will be reduced, meaning many supplements will simply become ineffective. It will eventually be illegal to sell any supplement above the RDI (recommended daily intake).

Plus, this seems a little too convenient in the way it purports the whole bill to be about consumer safety, and ignores that even in comparison to highly regulated pharmaceutical drugs they are ridiculously safe.

Guess I’ll have to go somewhere else to be a transhumanist (they’ve already restricted Modafinil ).

Leave my freedoms alone damn you government!

(Thanks tatjna for bring it to my attention)

If your a New Zealander and have any interest in supplements/vitamins then please check this out. The NZ government is trying introduce regulations that will require supplements to go through an expensive approval process and result in: Prices for New Zealand Vitamins and Supplements will increase between 30% and 100% Approximately 60% of your favourite New Zealand product range will be forced from the market due to the new regulatory costs Effective doses will be reduced, meaning many supplements will simply become ineffective. It will eventually be illegal to sell any supplement above the RDI (recommended daily intake). Plus, this seems a little too convenient in the way it purports the whole bill to be about consumer safety, and ignores that even in comparison to highly regulated pharmaceutical drugs they are ridiculously safe. Guess I'll have to go somewhere else to be a transhumanist (they've already restricted Modafinil :( ). Leave my freedoms alone damn you government! (Thanks tatjna for bring it to my attention)

Only religion could come up with such screwed up behaviour:

2000 pigs as sacrifice to deity General Chao of Wudeh temple. Even if you’re not vegetarian, the sheer scale of waste is stupid, each marketable pig requires 280 kg of feed. That’s 560 tonnes of feed for a non-existent deity. Yay humans, masters of screwing the world.

The Hor-ror

Only religion could come up with such screwed up behaviour: 2000 pigs as sacrifice to deity General Chao of Wudeh temple. Even if you're not vegetarian, the sheer scale of waste is stupid, each marketable pig requires 280 kg of feed. That's 560 tonnes of feed for a non-existent deity. Yay humans, masters of screwing the world. The Hor-ror

I have a question which the internet/google didn’t immediately answer for me.

I have a really nice Microsoft (I know that sounds like an oxymoron) USB mouse, but unfortunately the USB cord has given up on it around the plug. My question is thus: Is there anyway of salvaging a mouse that is perfectly fine except for the cable? Is a USB cable able to be repaired at all? I bought a cheap and nasty replacement mouse. But it is cheap and nasty, and so tiny compared to the full bodiedness of the MS one I have. The only upside the the new mouse is that it has a higher sampling rate, which I don’t really care about because I’m more concerned with tendinitis.

I seem to be having lots of trouble with cables, even though I try and be careful with them!

(My expensive DJ headphones have a cable problem. I’ve bought a replacement plug and will try splicing the cable to it, but the headphone is by Sony and they use weird coating on the wires to supposedly stop them from breaking so easily).

I have a question which the internet/google didn't immediately answer for me. I have a really nice Microsoft (I know that sounds like an oxymoron) USB mouse, but unfortunately the USB cord has given up on it around the plug. My question is thus: Is there anyway of salvaging a mouse that is perfectly fine except for the cable? Is a USB cable able to be repaired at all? I bought a cheap and nasty replacement mouse. But it is cheap and nasty, and so tiny compared to the full bodiedness of the MS one I have. The only upside the the new mouse is that it has a higher sampling rate, which I don't really care about because I'm more concerned with tendinitis. I seem to be having lots of trouble with cables, even though I try and be careful with them! (My expensive DJ headphones have a cable problem. I've bought a replacement plug and will try splicing the cable to it, but the headphone is by Sony and they use weird coating on the wires to supposedly stop them from breaking so easily).