Doesn’t have to be a thing you bought. Just some thing you didn’t have but then once you did it expanded your scope of actions.
The first obvious example that comes to mind is a car. Plenty of drawbacks to prevalence of cars, but being able to go where I want when I want, and far away, is very transformative.
I’m interested in other examples of things that aren’t just useful, but that open new possibilities.
Quitting smoking
an oscilloscope.
Speaker enthusiast?
I quit my job. Not sure if it gave me something but it sure took away a lot of asses I had to kiss.
Does that work?
Taking lithium as a bipolar, my life started there
I’m currently off my bipolar meds, against my will. Insurance change required a doctor change, and finding anyone who was available within a months time was not possible.
I need shit to get back to “normal” in my brain. I’m not doing well. I wasn’t before, but yeah…
Only a couple more days until my appointment. I had one last week, and they sent me to the wrong place, coupled with a whole slew of other issues, and I said fuck em. Thankfully found someone the second time around pretty quickly.
Dude I’m always surprised how shit health services are in some countries. I’m from Brazil and never got without meds in more 2 years of treatment. Now I’m moving to Portugal and I’m scared as fuck about it. But I always have the ER card. If I ever run out of medications I would run to an ER asking for more, I dont want want to die again, this is not an option where you are?
They’re american. No we dont have a functional safety net or healthcare system.
Transitioning
Internet. I’ve lived in rural areas most of my life and only in the last five years was able to start gaming with friends and watching unlimited video. I feel much less resentment that people don’t want to visit me and am happier getting my social needs met in person by physically going out less often (I still get out once a week ish)
It’s not a replacement for intimate relationships but any means, but I do think it can enhance them with healthy boundaries n whatnot. I went through a rough break up recently that’s had me realizing I’d like a partner that’s ok with me having space to chill with friends day to day but still making time for each other.
Being touched by Super Kami Guru
Oh. So he calls himself GOD now.
I need an adult.
AI as of late has helped a lot.
When I figured out how to run computational chemistry software on my home pc. It entirely changed how I saw chemistry because I could tinker and experiment with (virtual) molecules on a grand scale. Being able to run five maybe ten thousand simulations significantly increased my understanding.
2011- prescription Vyvanse
2017- $300k family inheritance
2020- freedom to travel with no responsibilities
2024- semaglutide
semaglutide?
I envy the ‘travel with no responsibilities’ don’t take that for granted.
Anti diabetic / weight loss drug
Getting a 3D printer.
Most things I had to replace because of being broken, the thing that broke was just some plastic bullshit; now I can just replace the broken part. Not to mention the myriad of things people have made that solve problems I never even thought of until seeing them on Thingiverse and such.
Add a soldering iron and some other tools and I can make my own electronic gadgets.
How do you go about replacing things, is it a lot of research? trial and error? Scanning?
I think we have places nearby where you can order something printed, but I didn’t get around to making the file itself
Usually just taking the broken piece, measuring it out and replicating it. A good pair of calipers helps.
Of course if it’s common enough, you can usually just find things already engineered for your needs.
It’s all of the above. Sometimes it’s researching in the form of looking around on sites like printables.com or thingiverse to see if someone else has solved the problem already. Scanning is an option too, but it’s tough to get good results with DIY approaches. The barrier to entry is kinda high in terms of money or expertise. When all else fails, there’s CAD. Computer Aided Design. Make it yourself with measurements and some trial and error :)
Kinda depends, if it’s a popular something, there’s usually a model online that someone else has been kind enough to share (generally on Printables and/ or Thingiverse). My most recent experience with that was the shift knob on my mixer cracked and fell off, a quick download, a few grams of filament, 20 minutes, a few persuading taps with a mallet, and everything was good to go.
Beyond that, it’s a bit of personal preference and a bit of you’re trying to do, something like a dial cluster in a car is going to be far more complex that something like a mounting bracket. The stuff I tend to fix/ replace tends to be fairly small, so personally, it’s a matter of sitting down with a pair of calipers to measure the object and replicate it in CAD (Autodesk got me young, so I’m on the Fusion 360 train at the moment). One of the most amazing things about 3d printers is that you can go from design to prototype extremely rapidly, which allows you to iterate the design and make it better each pass. Got a hole doesn’t quite line up, a wall that’s too long, an arm that doesn’t quite reach, etc? tweak it and try again. It’s a little bit of trial and error, but with experience it becomes more of a controlled process as you figure out what works and what doesn’t.
I want a 3d printer so badly. I don’t have the money for it, or the set up where I currently live to have one. But I’m supposed to be moving soon, and I want to start saving for one. I’m a crafty/DIY(read: jury rig) person by nature. I love fixing shit, making shit, and creatively solving problems. If I had more money, I’m pretty much the exact target audience for a 3d printer. Lol
3d printers are getting cheaper each year. I think elegoo neptunes are $200, maybe next year it might even drop as it only recently came out.
Maker spaces and libraries are one way you could get cheaper access than having to buy your own.
Man, it sounds like you’d be an awesome addition to the community! Definitely approach it on your own terms, 3d printing can be as cheap or expensive a hobby as you make it (speaking as the owner of a Thessian Enser 3).
It’s incredibly powerful (and satisfying) to be able to fix the plastic bit of something and give it a new life rather than just throwing it away.
Came here to say this. Really changed my life. It’s amazing all the super-custom things I’ve designed in like an hour each for super specific applications.
Learning when it’s okay not to give a fuck.
At some point you just realized everyone is “faking it till they make it”
Money.
As sad as it is, it’s true. I was broke for so many years that I even today, after years of having some, it eats at me paying so much for a car or other stuff. And I don’t know if I should change. I think I’ll never will anyways. Just trying to help without being exploited. First: tell no one how much money your project (or whatever) made. Wife and kid know, obviously, no one else. ESPECIALLY not “family”. But it’s a super power in our world that one could get lawful justice if anybody does you wrong. Without any money, you won’t. From experience. And the daily anxiety is gone. Ok, not gone, but very, very small. Completely without I’d be too lazy in the long run, I presume.
Generator so I have power when the power goes out. Would like solar but soooo expensive.
Just FYI you also need a battery to use solar if the power is out (in my country at least)
Dance. Started dancing (taking classes) at 350lbs 4 ½ months ago, still going now at 295lbs. Everything is sooo much easier. First exercise I really liked, improves my flexibility, strength, and cardio. And I feel mad sexy doing it.
I’d highly recommend playing Dance Dance Revolution, if you’re at all interested. Very fun way to burn lots of calories. There’s an open source clone called StepMania. If you really end up enjoying it, you’re going to want to invest in some high quality metal dance pads. Worth every penny though, in my opinion.
By the way, I’m 400 pounds. I know your struggle. I’ve lost well over 100 pounds playing StepMania before. Unfortunately I’ve had some bad events put me in a bad depression, which caused me to gain it back.
I’m a crossfit guy, but I absolutely agree. Once you find an exercise you enjoy and look forward to life just seems better.