gemini://caseyrichins.online/logs/2024-04-30

A lot has happened since my last post in December. I've just realized that this is my first post for 2024! That was not supposed to happen! On my last update I had stated that I was taking a break to focus on studying for the Amateur Extra Class license exam. I'm proud to announce that I successfully passed the exam on Jan 20, 2024! 1 Month of dedicated studying paid off. On February 09, 2024 I was issued my new Extra Class 1x2 vanity call sign. Not quite the one I wanted since it didn't match my region but a good one nonetheless. The next focus will be on learning and becoming proficient in CW (Morse Code).

I've been doing a lot of research lately into OpenBSD. All my servers and services have been moved to OpenBSD nodes and I'm soon to replace Linux with OpenBSD. I attempted this two weeks ago but the result wasn't what I wanted. I had backed up all my data in preparation for replacing Ubuntu 22.04 with OpenBSD 7.5. The install went very well once I figured out that I could only install via Ethernet since WiFi firmware had to be downloaded for it to work. Post install I set installed the firmware with `fw_update` and got set to installing packages I needed. The system seemed very slow since hyper-threading was disabled by Default in OpenBSD. I didn't want to enable it and WiFi seemed very buggy too. I still want to have a OpenBSD desktop but for the moment I've installed Debian 12 (Bookworm) with cinnamon desktop. My only gripe at the moment is that suspend/resume doesn't work. The system will suspend but not power things down and I can't resume because the system is stuck in a sate where the computer power button is flashing as if it were in suspended mode but the keyboard is still awake. I can't press the power button or any keyboard keys to wake it up to the lock screen. The only thing I can do I fully power off the computer, loosing any unsaved work if I didn't save it prior to walking away from my system and boot it back up from power off state.

Tax season bit me hard in the ass this year after me not bothering to look at my paychecks because the money was being deposited on time into my checking account, so I didn't see that my paychecks had $0 for federal withholding due to my claiming all my dependants on my W2 which resulted in no withholding so when tax time came, imagine my shock to find I owed $2,000 to IRS because there was no withholding. I now have to either submit a new W2 with less dependants so that I will have some withholding or accept that I will have to pay a tax at the end of the year and set the money aside through the year. But until I get my financial house in order this will be a struggle. I've thought about writing and sharing my situation to gather guidance or provide material for others in dire situations where they don't know where to start. It would also be a public journey to getting out of debt and re-learning how to better use debt. My goal would be to get the point where I'm using debt wisely. For example no spending from my checking account. All my living expenses beyond rent would be paid for via credit card and the only money from my checking account would be for the Paid in Full credit card payment and rent. But I can do that until I eliminate all my current debt and in position to be able to do execute this plan. It's going to be a very long no spend number of years.

I recently had a struggle with depression that lasted an entire week. I've not decided yet if I should write about it, but if I do it will likely end up on my gopher hole. I again want to keep my Gemini capsule limited to tech topics and tutorials. I think it may be helpful but it also means that I'm revealing much more intimate details than I or anyone should likely share. Most share every aspect of their lives which I have never nor will I ever understand the need or desire for the amount of validation or public disclosure. Personally, I have to determine if the possibility of someone being helped by reading my reading story versus the personal liability I incur to my privacy in sharing these intimate details of my life. The depression I recently experienced has caused me to struggle staying on task or having motivation to complete my job related tasks in a focused manner. Every day I've been worried that the possibility that I'm not mentally competent to have a work related meeting or discussion without it being noticed by the other party.

Spring 2024 Updates