Things taken away

We get frustrated when we are told that we can’t do this or that anymore due to age or health. Not that we wanted to. But it was nice that we could, that it was an option, should we ever want to. But when it is gone, removed, no longer an option, we become sad, annoyed, with a sense of loss, for something we never had, or wanted.

We only get one life and not enough time to experience everything that we could possibly experience. So for example being told that you can’t go deep-sea diving, or lift really heavy weights, or run a marathon, ever, triggers a sense of FOMO. A fear of missing out. Of never being able to experience those actions or activities. I mean, there are plenty of other things you can engage in and experience, if you wanted. But being told that something has been taken off your table of life, that it is no longer an option for you, can feel depressing.

I like to think about it another way. That you have reached the point where you are at today through a series of decisions and actions. Every possible action or activity in front of you is not guaranteed to be there forever. You make choices every moment of your life, and some of those choices will remove options from the table. True, you may feel a sense of loss when some things are no longer an option, but take pleasure in the fact that there is still a table in front of you full of options. Every day that you wake to that table is a good day.

Just ask it

Humans can be lazy. My thinking is that AI is becoming more popular because it helps us find information faster. If we have a question and we search for an answer using a search engine, we then have to browse the links that it offers ourselves. We have to read and digest data and then review what we’ve read and determine if we can answer our question.

With AI it’s as if someone has already done all the hard work for you, the reading, digesting, and analysing. We just have to ask it our question and it will attempt to answer it as best as it can. We then have to trust (but verify) the answer provided and we are done. Much faster. Lazy but efficient.

AI and OSINT

With OSINT a lot of the fun is in uncovering the information, finding connections, uncovering useful data that leads to the next node and so on. Assuming you know where to look, or how to analyse the data in the first place that is.

Using AI in OSINT investigations isn’t cheating if it helps unblock you, or helps you make progress where you were stuck. It may suggest alternative sources, or recommend tools. It can be like having a virtual OSINT investigator with you whenever you need it. You still have to drive, to direct, to be able to think and ask the right questions in order for it to be of use. It’s not cheating if you are learning.  

I hate supermarkets

Or at least I hate visiting them in person. I do like the bargains and the choice, but I prefer my orders to be delivered than actually having to go to one myself.

Finding stuff can be tricky. Then there’s all the people getting in each others way, banging trolleys, baskets, and bags into you. And don’t get me started on parking. I worked on a system for car insurance once. Supermarket car parks are one of the most common places for car accidents. It’s as if people lose the ability to drive when they enter a supermarket car park. You’d think with these modern cars with all the technology on-board that people will be able to park more easily. Yet the amount of dents and scrapes I’ve seen tells me otherwise.

If I can, I avoid supermarkets in person.

Retail

No one likes paying retail.

The retail price is the starting point. You find out what something retails for and then you try to get it cheaper than that. The cheaper the better.

Paying retail is for amateurs. It’s paying the maximum. Why pay the maximum? Shop around, source deals, hunt for vouchers and discount codes. Add it to your basket and wait. Wait for the price you are willing to pay. Wait however long it takes. Prime day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Bank holiday or Boxing Day sales. Just wait.

Everybody loves a bargain.

Not returnable by design

I was working in a factory on the returns line. I took an item out of its box and started running tests. Afterwards I tried putting it back in the box with no luck. People started laughing at me. One individual said I wasn’t doing it right.

It turns out that you need a special tool to get it back in the box. It compresses it just right so it will fit. I’m told it’s to maximise space and reduce packaging costs. I think it is to reduce returns.

Think about it. To return it you have to send it back in its original packaging. If you can’t get it back in the box how do you return it?

Not returnable by design. That’s my thinking anyway.

Turning your driveway into a forecourt

I was reading up about a company that wants to turn your domestic EV charger into a business. You sign up, configure your availability periods, and voila! Your charger appears on a map for other customers to see. Let’s say they are in Oxford and they need to charge their EV, they open the app and can see what chargers are available nearby. They can see your charger’s fees, reliability and charging speed.

This got me thinking about the implications of this business model. For one, these chargers were sold as domestic chargers. They are not meant for 24/7/365 use by multiple vehicles. Does the charger manufacturer’s warranty cover such use? Also what about your home insurance? You are technically turning your driveway into a forecourt. And as most domestic chargers charge slowly, the customers will most likely be hanging around for a while. Free parking! But what is your public liability insurance like? What if their car catches fire?

I like the idea of being able to earn some extra cash from your EV charger, especially if the energy is free from solar generation or a special EV tariff. But consideration should be given to all aspects of what essentially is running a business.

Trust but verify

I find myself using AI a lot. Like a lot. It’s slowly replacing Google for me. I use it to answer questions rather than trying keyword combinations first in a search engine. I usually get my answers much faster  that way.

I have one rule when using AI: Trust but verify.

I check everything it says or recommends, especially if I intend to act on it in some way. Depending on any associated risks or costs I’ll check that its answer is complete and that it hasn’t missed anything. An alternative option for example.

Trust but verify.

Sold time

Sold time. That is all that employment is.

You agree terms for selling your time to someone. They agree to pay you a certain amount in return for your time and skills, and in return you sell them a certain amount of your time, lets say six months for a contract, or maybe it’s perpetual in terms of employment, with annual reviews, maybe.

Yet after the initial negotiations and contract agreement, and after you’ve settled in, you start getting a little bored. There’s not enough holidays. Maybe you feel another sick day coming on. You start to hate the fact that you have to get up and go to work.

The thing is, it all just comes down to the fact that you sold your time and now you are having second thoughts, or maybe you want to renegotiate, or maybe you want out of the agreement altogether.

Life is too short to keep working at a job you don’t like. Sell your time to someone else or maybe even take a break. Sell some time back to yourself. Give notice and find someone else who would like to pay for your time, doing something you will enjoy.

We only have so much time to sell, so sell your time wisely.

Tracking your water intake

It seems weird that we should track our water intake. Yet most of us are not drinking enough. There’s even apps to help track your intake. Are you hitting your daily target? I think it’s 8 glasses, or 3 litres, or 4 pints depending on who you ask.

Why are we not drinking enough? Modern diets with over-priced food and drink numbing our taste buds and quench for thirst? Or feeling hungry when we are actually thirsty?

If in doubt, drink. Water that is. Anything else could be a diuretic. Don’t risk it. Best play it safe and drink water. That’s what your body wants anyway. A nice cool glass of water. Eight of them a day.

Stay hydrated!