What things do you use the most which made your life more bearable? Where did you get it?

  • bruhbeans
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    3 years ago

    A cheap, reliable bike. I have a single-speed because where I live is totally flat, disc brakes for when the weather is shit, a rack front and back so I don’t have to use a backpack, and good lights all around. Gets me around the city way faster and more pleasant than driving, public trans or walking, costs next to nothing to keep it rolling. Since it was cheap, if it gets ripped off, I just get another.

    • ree
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      3 years ago

      With a trailer nothing will stop you.

      ( except hills)

  • Star Wars Enjoyer @lemmygrad.ml
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    3 years ago

    this sounds weird, but I got a cheap set of active noise-cancelling protective headphones, the kind with the microphones in them so you can still hear like normal but block out the harmful decibels. And they’ve only shown me that I need hearing aids, the clarity I hear now while wearing them brought a tear to my eye, I forgot birds chirped like that.

    also, PSA, protect your hearing. Just do it, earplugs are cheap.

    • pereputty
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      3 years ago

      Does it have a name?

      Also, plants! While not the most useful, but they bring so much joy! And also they are in the middle between an actual pet and a pet rock so that’s nice

  • ksynwa
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    3 years ago

    My computer.

    My eBook reader (Kobo Aura H2O with koreader) that unfortunately left behind on a flight. Miss you old friend.

    • Helix 🧬@feddit.deOP
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      3 years ago

      Oh no, I’m sorry for your loss :(

      What does koreader make better?

      Are they still made? Can you buy one used?

      • ksynwa
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        3 years ago

        I prefer koreader instead of nickel (the default Kobo interface) so heavily that I consider it inconceivable to use the latter now.

        The less important reason is that koreader is just straight faster in every aspect. This includes opening books, turning pages etc. But more importantly, the default interface is centered around trying to sell you books which I absolutely despise. I don’t went to be advertised to on the hone screen of an expensive device that I bought with my hard earned money.

        I bought the Kobo when I used to live in North America. They are not available in India where I am now.

        I’m looking into buying a Kindle on the condition that it can be jailbroken and I can install koreader on it. But I haven’t been able to guarantee that a brand new one will have a firmware version low enough that it can be jailbroken. Also looking at other alternatives.

        • Gmork
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          3 years ago

          If you don’t already know about it check out https://www.pine64.org/pinenote/ Its powerful, open source and powered by Linux. Its still a ways off and a bit more expensive than I was hoping for, but I will be picking one up to replace my kobo.

        • Helix 🧬@feddit.deOP
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          3 years ago

          I think I have a Kindle 4 laying around which I have jailbroken. I don’t use it at all. If you tell me how to check the version number you need to know I can send it to you for free (just pay shipping costs if they’re not too high for you). I guess the battery is pretty dead nowadays as it’s laying around for years now and I only occasionally charge it.

          • ksynwa
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            3 years ago

            You can check the version number under Settings > Device Info

              • ksynwa
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                3 years ago

                Hmm. I would appreciate if you could send it to me. If you can DM me what international shipping services exist in your country that are close to you, I can calculate the shipping costs and let you know if we can proceed. But regardless thanks for the consideration.

  • ghost_laptop
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    3 years ago

    Is it useful or that make my life more bearable?

    If it comes to useful I’d say my computer, a jean jacket with fur on the inside which is pretty warm, any of my trousers, and a pot that is pretty big and with two bottoms which makes cooking pretty great.

    Life more beareable, my computer and the heather which I recently got after like 15 years of living without it which was pretty fucked up during winter.

    • Helix 🧬@feddit.deOP
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      3 years ago

      You sure like your PC! 😃

      I’d say the things making your life better are certainly also the most useful. Why have anything when it doesn’t make you happier?

      • a_Ha
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        3 years ago

        Hoarding is bad. Laziness & lack of time make it difficult to go through old things.

        Also “Citizen Kane” syndrome : the feeling something is lacking in life, trying to get anything and never finding until it’s too late.

        typo ?

        things making your life better are ((fertainpy//certainly?)) also the most useful

        😋

        • Helix 🧬@feddit.deOP
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          3 years ago

          Laziness & lack of time make it difficult to go through old things.

          The KonMari method made that way easier for me by dividing reorganisation in small but effective sessions of work.

          • a_Ha
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            3 years ago

            i am of “diy” type : used DraftSight for my home’s plans, rented equipment to dig, poured the foundations, nailed everything in place up to the roof, aprox 10% help from fellows. At the end of the work week, when it comes to reorganization and fighting laziness i develop my own strategies.
            My own “Rosebud” (as Citizen Kane’s deep hidden motivation) might stay hidden until the end, possibly this makes life more interesting.

    • pereputty
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      3 years ago

      What else could one do to lower their expenses, do you think? Especially in a flat, it feels like I don’t really have alternatives.

      Also, I would really like to get into self hosting, mostly for websites. I have an old Nexus 7 which I want ro experiment on, bit I might get a Raapberry Pi for a more permanent solution.

        • pereputty
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          3 years ago

          Why are those better? Is it that they’re simply more powerful? I was thinking of the Pi for the low power consumption.

            • pereputty
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              3 years ago

              Thanks! The difference in architecture didn’t occur to me, but now I see

    • Helix 🧬@feddit.deOP
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      3 years ago

      Your own server at home is very useful and a nice hobby.

      it’s also a frustrating time sink sometimes :D

  • ree
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    3 years ago

    A good amount has been said (PC,servers, bike)

    I think my tool box wrap it all up. With it I fix all the above and many more. I think i open it every day or so.

    When I don’t ave the right tools at home there are cooperatives here that rent them for super cheap and teach how to use them too.

    You can get really cheap stuff on second hand market especially if you’re OK taking a bit of time removing rust etc.

  • UnreliantGiant
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    3 years ago

    A label printer. I put a label on every drawer and every jar with self made marmalade, it’s very useful to keep stuff organized

    • Sr Estegosaurio
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      3 years ago

      I love books. I’m a person who also loves tech, but I want to read books in paper, it’s like next level. But I’m not able to buy every book that I reed. A bit sad tbh. But ey, I still can read, in my ebook.

  • a_Ha
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    3 years ago

    Currently using a human body (thanks Mom) with 1 tiny brain (thanks Dad) … without it, these ideas be floating only in other’s people’s minds.
    Bet i should get those active noise-cancelling ear protections (thanks to user fog of war), so to get some more ideas to get inside 😋

      • a_Ha
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        3 years ago

        Even when i was young i was thinking much more like my father does. Birthing is especially difficult in humans, we should all be grateful to our moms !

        Edit - - oups, in previous post ; user @frog of war ( not Fog of war ! ) … must have been thinking of the movie.

        • Helix 🧬@feddit.deOP
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          3 years ago

          thanks for the clarification. I was part worried, part intrigued what weird things happened in your family.

  • Sr Estegosaurio
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    3 years ago

    My watch. It isn’t anything special. Is just a normal rugged casio watch who has its years of service. It’s just a small thing that makes my life easier.

      • DessalinesA
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        3 years ago

        Haha it me. Seriously tho its hard to beat a $10 watch with a 10 year battery life that weighs nothing and never breaks.

        • Helix 🧬@feddit.deOP
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          3 years ago

          it’s also water resistant and you can make IEDs with just rewiring its alarm. Versatile as fuck.

          I think the next best thing will be the PineTime when they finally make one with a transflective LCD :D

      • Sr Estegosaurio
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        3 years ago

        Casio G-Shock 3427 or GD-120TS (idk which number is the model). It’s just a normal and a bit old casio watch. But I love it.

  • GadgeteerZA
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    3 years ago

    My Leatherman knife - it’s with me 23,5/7 and whether I’m in the attic, at a BBQ, on my bike somewhere, there is often something to be fastened, sawed, filed down, cut, etc… I suppose too my phone for podcasts, searches, messaging, e-mail, alarm reminders, todo management and sometimes phoning.

    I’d like to say my Kindle, but I don’t carry it everywhere at all times with me.

      • GadgeteerZA
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        3 years ago

        Actually I checked now at https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives and that is not quite correct: It is only illegal to carry a knife in public without good reason, unless it has a folding blade with a cutting edge 3 inches long or less. This is under 3" and is folding blades.

      • GadgeteerZA
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        3 years ago

        It is literally a standard pocket knife length blade as part of a multi-tool. It is half the length of a dinner plate knife… That basically means zero pocket knives can be carried in the UK? I do have a bladeless version designed for carrying on flights, but it has very few tools on it. That is another option I’d opt for otherwise.

          • GadgeteerZA
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            3 years ago

            The law makes no mention of any fixator, what is that? My knife blade is just under 2.8" so that passes. But as I say, there is certainly an airline approved version with no blade - that has been outa few years now. The gov website only says “a folding blade with a cutting edge 3 inches long or less”.

              • GadgeteerZA
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                3 years ago

                Mine is the Charge TTi. Locking blades though are not mentioned as a restriction for folding pen knifes under 3" blades.

  • riccardo
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    3 years ago

    My e-reader. Being able to bring your entire library with you is something that I underestimated when I started evaluating whether I was actually in need for an e-reader. I bought an used Kobo Clara one year ago: the battery still lasts for weeks, and being able to whip it out every time I have some time to read and pick the book according to my mood is really something that I couldn’t do with paper books.

    Tech aside: “classic” slippers. I’ve always used flip-flops my entire life. I bought a pair of slippers last summer and they are super comfy and they don’t hurt between my toes, which was the reason why I wanted to replace my flip-flops. I love them. This might sound stupid but it’s definitely one of the objects I own that I’m really happy I’ve decided to buy

    Edit: I also forgot about my Bluetooth receiver with a 3.5mm jack plug. My car has Bluetooth support, but just for calls and not for media streams (why???). I had to buy this small Bluetooth receiver that I plug into my car’s jack (AUX cords were constantly breaking for some reasons) and it works like a charm. Bought in in 2016, really happy I did. I don’t have to burn CDs anymore