Topic: The Chit Chat Thread

@GirlVersusGame funnily enough kat is also a nickname I go by.
I guess I get the general gist of it.
Also the proper form is “4 minus 2” not “2 minus 4”, the latter yields a negative number.
I mean I was always the best at math but that feels weird to brag about cuz it was only high school math and nothing fancy; but from your words that seems a little, or maybe really above your weight class.
I’m definitely not against trying to teach you if you’re genuinely struggling with rudimentary math problems like this. I’ll just say that it isn’t really that complicated and some of it comes to down memorization-tricks as opposed to real logic problems.

Since you (supposedly) understand the logic for addition and subtraction, I’d say you’re the same as everyone else, more or less. Not understanding the methodology would be a genuine intelligence issue, but since you seem to have it down, the rest is all just memorization like I said.

The multiplication table for 9 would you have you constantly make one number go up and the other go down, so it would be 9 > 18 > 27 > 36 and so on.

Though i do wanna say I’m somewhat lost about the Pokémon correlation.

@Yousef- funnily enough kat is also a nickname I go by.

• For me it's short for katya, or yekaterina, so everyone just calls me kat. In English the closet would be katherine. Usually rocking a pair of cat ears reminds them too because kat sounds like cat.

I mean I was always the best at math but that feels weird to brag about cuz it was only high school math and nothing fancy; but from your words that seems a little, or maybe really above your weight class.

• Flaunt it if you got it, it's a funny brag, at least to me because I try not to dwell on it too much, but do work to improve those kinds of things.

I’m definitely not against trying to teach you if you’re genuinely struggling with rudimentary math problems like this. I’ll just say that it isn’t really that complicated and some of it comes to down memorization-tricks as opposed to real logic problems.

• It's okay I do have a Math Tutor, it's just very slow going. I only started recently, but I'm determined to get there. He's a good man with a lot of patience. The irony is that I have eight languages and two musical instruments learned, so it's not memory thankfully. And thank you for the offer, that's really kind.

I’d say you’re the same as everyone else, more or less.

• Sorry I laughed at that too, it's been a funny kind of evening, but I appreciate the sentiment.

Not understanding the methodology would be a genuine intelligence issue, but since you seem to have it down, the rest is all just memorization like I said.

• That's more or less where I'm moving towards at the moment, I do a little each day.

The multiplication table for 9 would you have you constantly make one number go up and the other go down, so it would be 9 > 18 > 27 > 36 and so on.

• I knew as far as eighteen, as in nine by two is eighteen, the rest, I'm not there yet. As in if you'd asked me in person what the answer was for eighteen plus eighteen, I'd have no idea. If you asked me what eighteen multiplied by eighteen was? I'd run away, I wouldn't even guess.

Though i do wanna say I’m somewhat lost about the Pokémon correlation.

• I mean I'd assume Math lessons in school were probably seen as boring to most children, so they'd probably have preferred to have been at home playing Pokemon instead. Sort of like if someone said 'you can learn numbers today, or you can play video-games', most children might say video-games.

@GirlVersusGame

“ you can learn numbers today, or you can play video-games', most children might say video-games.”

Why not both

The way I think of it is that one skillset seeps into the other. If you can handle basic math, it helps map out everyday hobbies too.
To revisit my previous point, here’s the 8 multiplication table. It’s 8>16>24>32>40>48>56>64>72>80>88>96>104
You can see the number on right going down by two, the one on the left always going up by one. It’s a pattern, and it also feels like mental Lego after a while.

@Yousef- You can see the number on right going down by two, the one on the left always going up by one. It’s a pattern, and it also feels like mental Lego after a while.

• That was sorcery, I did see the pattern when you described it like that. No one's ever described it like that before. I'll show it to my friend too, she helps from time to time.

Edit: She did see the pattern. I just out of the blue messaged her like 'do you see the pattern?', which actually sounds funny when you aren't expecting someone to say that. It probably looked a little bonkers.

The way I think of it is that one skillset seeps into the other. If you can handle basic math, it helps map out everyday hobbies too.

• Mostly I paint, ice skate, fence, martial arts (krav maga, more recently systema, a more personalized system of krav maga that focuses more on the person not getting back up again) play music, obviously game, a couple of other hobbies but I've only even needed numbers for gaming. Especially games with a trading system, after that it's just trying to figure it all for my Minecraft builds because it's an eight-year build so far and millions upon millions of blocks, I use Developer consoles too so understanding those inputs takes a really long time.

@GirlVersusGame virtually all of those hobbies you mentioned would still require some vague form of mental math, especially the sports ones.

Think of it like this, when you’re climbing stairs, you’re doing mental calculations in your head on how much you need to lift your knees. You may think that’s not happening until you switch to a different set of stairs with different levels of elevations.

Painting is almost also built entirely around math, if you look into the golden ratio, it is mathematical proof of “beauty” in nature.

The pattern trick I told you about also seeps into a lot of other things.
What’s 10 x 10? You may say a 100, but what if you didnt know that? How would you reach that conclusion? You simply take the zeroes, group then then multiply what’s left. So you take the two zeroes, multiply 1 by 1 then get a 100. Same logic is used for other larger additions. 240 times 20 is 4,800, because you take the two zeroes, then multiply 24 by 2, which is 48.

You can go even higher. 1,000 times 4,500 is 4,500,000 for the reasons I said before.

Then you get into addition tricks. What’s 45 plus 46? The answer is 91. Why? Because the 45 is missing a 5 to become 50, and the 46 is missing a 4. 5 plus 4 is 9, 50+50 is 100 and a 100 minus 9 is 91, and so on.

It just requires basic logic.

@Yousef- Painting is almost also built entirely around math, if you look into the golden ratio, it is mathematical proof of “beauty” in nature.

• True but I'm self-taught there too, there were no books involved, no anything really, I just opened up my heart and put each stroke to each canvas. I paint what I love and it just flows. It's the same with all of hobbies, skating is flight, fencing is form, music is an extension of my emotions, the martial arts I practice uses my opponents force against them it's reaction based because I don't instigate. Chess is pattern recognition but I was eight-years old when I started to learn and math was never involved, knowing and understanding each set and suit became second nature, no different than how a general understands the choke-points of terrain or the psychology of the enemy, after that it's simple execution. I understand chess because I understand those same military tactics and just apply them to the board. It's based on the tactical control, careful management and it negates the fog of war, which again becomes second nature. Gaming certainly uses logic but then it depends on the game.

In the spirit of honesty and because you had only the best of intentions I will say this, 'What’s 10 x 10? You may say a 100' that's where my understanding of what you said started and ended. You have to understand that if you spent your whole life never needing numbers, never needing math, you can still harness logic and task it where it's needed but to me numbers and their meanings are a whole other language. One I've only recently learned, when I say basic Math I mean really basic.

Example, when did you learn the twenty-four hour clock? I'm still learning it, I only learned the months of the year because my Partner decided to help me do it. None of the men in my life needed me to tell the time, the months of the year, to count, it wasn't necessary for them, therefore it wasn't necessary for me. My Family said it wasn't necessary for me to be educated, therefore I wasn't, I've never had a schedule of any sort therefore it was decided that I didn't need to know the days of the week, I still have to double check the months of the year. That's just life Yousef, no one cared about educating me, my Partner does, he's the rarest exception that's ever entered my life. I did try to educate myself, bought thousands of books and I've read (checks) 7388 books, but that was all me. I can have anything in my life but education was not one of them, women in my Family are treated differently, very differently. Language was the only exception because I've lived in almost every corner of the world and listening was required. We don't follow that kind of modern thinking, there's absolutely no equality and equality in your world means education, in my world it means knowing my place and never stepping out of line.

It just requires basic logic.

• I tend to not really need logic in my daily life, if you think of all of the things you do each day the things that require logic, I've probably done none of them. I'll ask my browser for some examples.

Here's what it said: Organizing finances (I've never done that before) Making decisions (Someone else does that for me, I don't even decide what to wear or eat) Asking questions (I listen I don't ask) Planning a day (I've never done that before either) Engaging in a debate (That equals backtalk in my life) Comparing prices (A little futile considering the obvious) Cooking (I've never done that before either) I live more through my heart more than I live through logic, it's not just a different world it's a different way of thinking. I only wanted to learn the value of money because people and articles on here talk about it all the time, I've only seen it in my own life once. It's just part of learning about your world, not mine. I see power every day, not money, power can't be calculated only felt. if I never joined this site I'd never have wanted to learn Math. So much here is based on pricing, console prices, games, company buyouts, it's part of trying to be on the same page, which isn't always possible, but it's worth trying.

@GirlVersusGame math is used in all those hobbies you’ve mentioned. Not consciously using a skill is not the same as it not being used subconsciously. You’re never actively telling your heart to beat but it still does. Same with logic. The very foundation of logic is any form of cognitive thinking, and lacking basic cognitive function is an insanely concerning intelligence disability that basic tutors cannot do anything and no amount of self tutoring, experience or practice could do anything about it. I think you’re either misrepresenting your own challenges or missing the point entirely on what can and can’t be done. If you cannot process extremely rudimentary math or logic issues, but can still do all the things you’ve mentioned then there’s a great chance you’re neglectfully missing the point. This has little to do with life experiences. It’s very possible you’re struggling to convey what you’re actually struggling at.

@Metonymy Here's another fox, it's a small canvas and one I don't mind sharing.

He's mostly watercolour and inked around the eyes, I give my shadows colour hence the blue under his chin, black is fine but I like shadows to convey colour. The shadows I saw over there weren't the absence of light, they were something else, I can only replicate that feeling though the inclusion of colour. Nor can I really replicate the colours I saw over there because quite frankly they don't exist over here either.

@Yousef- It’s very possible you’re struggling to convey what you’re actually struggling at.

• I only use English on this site and in chatrooms with my friends, so yes it is possible, but as I said I have seven more languages besides English so I'm fine with not being able to convey something I don't use.

You’re never actively telling your heart to beat but it still does.

• I live through that same heart, learn through that same heart and love through that same heart. I don't tell my heart anything, I listen to it, feel it, it's stopped twice already, and yet here I am. I trust that same heart to keep doing what it needs to do, the same way I trust myself enough to keep doing what I do.

I think you’re either misrepresenting your own challenges or missing the point entirely on what can and can’t be done.

• As the saying goes, walk a mile in my shoes. Don't assume anything, you don't know a person's daily challenges, nor do I know theirs. Mere words aren't enough to convey reality, you have to live it, see it, and feel it, to do otherwise would be to insult their intelligence.

The very foundation of logic is any form of cognitive thinking, and lacking basic cognitive function is an insanely concerning intelligence disability that basic tutors cannot do anything and no amount of self tutoring, experience or practice could do anything about it.

• A person can be highly intelligent and go their entire life without needing or using numbers. You are applying logic to one simple factor which is the application of numbers. I was six years old when I started to play the piano (like Metonymy) to paint, then cello, chess, I excel at every single hobby I've put my mind to and that's not just because of logic, it's passion and passion comes from the heart.

Math comes from your world, carte blanche comes from mine, as does excess, we live in very different worlds and you are applying the logic and rules of your one to mine, and I can't explain it any clearer. Just like you can't explain your logic and clearer, nor do you need to. I have a Tutor, he's a professional, he understand that challenge, Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm not the type to rush through anything, certainly not this. I would rather build a strong foundation, one that's clear and concise, that's how I'm learning.

Girls were only given the opportunity to learn Math after the late 19th century. I don't live in 2026, it might appear that I do because I'm talking to you through the internet with technology. Technology aside, I don't. You can't expect someone who went twenty-years of their life without numbers and Math to suddenly understand what you are talking about, that's not how it works. All it does is frustrate the person, and it did. So for my own well-being I'll say thank you kindly for your time and graciously exit that topic entirely.

“ I live through that same heart, learn through that same heart and love through that same heart. I don't tell my heart anything, I listen to it, feel it, it's stopped twice already, and yet here I am. I trust that same heart to keep doing what it needs to do, the same way I trust myself enough to keep doing what I do”
@GirlVersusGame Cool metaphor but irrelevant to my point. I was talking about the concept of subconscious knowledge, not your actual literal heart. You don’t tell yourself to blink, breathe, exert oxygen, burn calories, digest food, they all happen irregardless of your input. You quite literally cannot deny you have a beating heart unless you’re either a robot or an AI or something else. Same with how we conduct mental math.
Previously you were literally counting the character limit on your posts.

“ As the saying goes, walk a mile in my shoes. Don't assume anything, you don't know a person's daily challenges, nor do I know theirs. Mere words aren't enough to convey reality, you have to live it, see it, and feel it, to do otherwise would be to insult their intelligence.”

I doubt you’re intellectually disabled, there’s enough evidence to prove otherwise. You’re very lucid, very well-spoken and very “aware” of what’s being discussed, so i really think this is just language barrier.

I get it, I speak 4 languages, which isn’t 7 languages like you speak, but I understand the struggle. It does become 22 languages if you count the different varieties of Arabic though.

I just think you’re underestimating what you can do. I imagine you’re just really young and lack life experiences.
Late-boomers come in all shapes and sizes, it’s totally normal.

“ A person can be highly intelligent and go their entire life without needing or using numbers. You are applying logic to one simple factor which is the application of numbers. I was six years old when I started to play the piano (like Metonymy) to paint, then cello, chess, I excel at every single hobby I've put my mind to and that's not just because of logic, it's passion and passion comes from the heart.”

You are misconstruing the definition of the word here. I was arguing for cognition, sentience. You quite literally cannot about using logic unless you are literally non-sentient.
I admire your tenacity in this discussion, but altering the definition of words does not add validity to an argument, and shifting the focus of a debate so that it becomes about word definitions is a really stiff move, and I’d rather not humor any further, if I’m being honest.

“ Math comes from your world, carte blanche comes from mine, as does excess, we live in very different worlds and you are applying the logic and rules of your one to mine, and I can't explain it any clearer. Just like you can't explain your logic and clearer, nor do you need to. I have a Tutor, he's a professional, he understand that challenge, Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm not the type to rush through anything, certainly not this. I would rather build a strong foundation, one that's clear and concise, that's how I'm learning.
Girls were only given the opportunity to learn Math after the late 19th century. I don't live in 2026, it might appear that I do because I'm talking to you through the internet with technology. Technology aside, I don't. You can't expect someone who went twenty-years of their life without numbers and Math to suddenly understand what you are talking about, that's not how it works. All it does is frustrate the person, and it did. So for my own well-being I'll say thank you kindly for your time and graciously exit that topic entirely.”

I feel like this is a false dichotomy… but I’ve exerted all my energy here. Thank you, I guess.

@LtSarge I'm well, thank you! I've been really busy at work (as usual haha) so I've been working late most of the days now and when I get home I don't have much time left besides for working out, making dinner and watching a TV show. I barely have enough time for gaming during weekdays, so that's why I've been so absent here. How are you doing?

• Sorry I wanted to ask about one specific thing and it didn't fit that thread, but it did make me curious.

Cooking, what do you cook? I think I said it before but the idea of one person cooking a meal is kind of fascinating to me, mainly because so many meals seem to involve larger portions and multiple people. Did you start just because you had to, i.e. so you didn't you'd starve, or do you have some kind of passion for it? People have told me they often find it very relaxing and almost meditative. I haven't tried, but for cooking simulator games, it's the same basic principal, and to me it felt relaxing.

I haven't baked either but I did help to make cookies with my friend recently over WhatsApp, she did the heavy lifting and I helped with the actual recipe. Those were mostly made from flour, dough, syrup, sugar and I forget the rest, have you baked before or is cooking just for survival to you?

@GirlVersusGame Have you ever heard the phrase less is more?

@kyleforrester87

@WaveBoy It was a genuine question, I didn't have time to spin it into a 12 pager!

@GirlVersusGame I don't really have a passion for cooking, but I've become very picky with my food now after summer. I've realised that I get too much calories in my food, so I've made three new meals for dinner that I alternate between.

Meal 1: Taco chicken with very little rice with sweet chili sauce and black pepper, fried egg and stir-fried vegetables.
Meal 2: Swedish hash with grilled chicken and vegetables with lemon pepper, and fried egg.
Meal 3: Chicken kebab with potato wedges (with skin), stir-fried vegetables, kebab seasoning and red sauce.

Absolutely delicious meals with tons of protein and much less calories compared to what I used to eat.

So you can say that I care more about what I put in me now. Each meal has been tailor-made for the purpose of getting less calories and more protein in combination with my workout. I've actually noticed my body becoming more defined after only two months of eating like this. It feels great!

@LtSarge So you can say that I care more about what I put in me now. Each meal has been tailor-made for the purpose of getting less calories and more protein in combination with my workout. I've actually noticed my body becoming more defined after only two months of eating like this. It feels great!

• You sound like my personal Trainer, which isn't a bad thing he understands that you can't have a healthy mind without a healthy body and it's so refreshing to hear that someone is voluntary doing it themselves for themselves. And working out too, I do workout too but my friend said I can't share pictures like that on here, she thinks a little skin is a lot of skin. I can't exactly workout in a pair of overalls but I still understand her concern. I think some people do it for image, others do it for themselves and you are obviously doing it for yourself which is even more impressive.

There's a misconception that gamers sit around all day pushing buttons and twiddling knobs but I've found that just not to be true. I like to swim, and love martial arts, if you know Krav Maga? that's my current physical focus, I've moved onto a more advanced form called Systema. It's a kind of custom form of Krav Maga, the former is more about putting the person down by using their own force against them, the latter is to ensure they never get back up again. It's a little intense but I like the discipline and confidence of putting someone twice my size on the floor. I like fencing too and have been skating my whole life but martial arts is where I see eating and living well really shine.

That's Systema and that take-down, that was my back a couple of months ago. I was put down so hard that I had to drop lessons until recently. It's a little unforgiving, but again it builds confidence. Those are Spetnaz, Krava Maga was original developed to fight the fascists in street-fights but it had military applications too. Systema (depending who you ask) was used by the Cossacks and during the Cold War. We still use it today, it works. You could call it ruthless too because unlike Boxing or Judo it's more about survival than sportsmanship, most of the rules get thrown out, I was put on my back because I kicked my Trainer in the groin. it's kind of funny now, it wasn't then, there's a lot of force in the foot.

I think for others it's cycling down those English country lanes, up mountains. I'm limited by a lot of outdoor activities, but I suppose not everyone is. MrPickles said he's selling his PS5 for a mountain-bike, I still don't know if he's serious, but he did seem to poof after saying it. Have you considered doing anything like that or is work and life not making room for that either?

I'm not saying what you are doing now isn't enough, sometimes healthy eating and living leads to other hobbies and activities. For me it's not really a choice, there's Someone in my life who expects that level of care and performance, but to do it for yourself, that's so different. You said you didn't have a lot of time lately for gaming. Your physical body and your health is more important, it's great to hear that you are already seeing results in so little time.

For me it's kind of the other way around, I've always had a very complex relationship with food and frankly if that Someone didn't make me eat, I wouldn't. There's some file missing there, the one that says 'you need to eat' so I'm grateful that there is Someone there to bypass the psychology and to make it work or we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. I didn't actually eat today but will tomorrow. I'm sure your Swedish hash with grilled chicken and vegetables would probably do me the world of good, I'll ask for it tomorrow. It does sound good.

It's a heavy topic for some, but what you originally shared about loneliness is too. It reminded me that no one is perfect no matter how much we might think they are, the people who sit back and poke fun at others or who haven't got the common decency to just let others speak from their heart, they too aren't perfect and I think the main difference is that some of us can admit it. I really worried about you after you shared what you did, and no I don't know you from Adam or Eve but I don't think that matters either. I'm just really happy to hear that you are doing well and making such big improvements in your own life. It was such a ray of sunshine for an otherwise cloudy day.

I never asked before, where does LtSarge come from?

@GirlVersusGame Haven’t worked through the posts yet but have to say, your fox painting is beautiful. Stunning work!

@Metonymy Take your time, I hope you don't mind but I showed some friends on those other networks your films and everyone loved them. They know of you because they read all of my posts, help with some of them, advise who to talk to, who to ignore, Guardian Angels of sorts, or Demons depending on who you ask. Either way I just had to share your work, we watched them on screen-share and it was fun. It almost beat watching Fantastic Mr Fox for the gazillionith time (almost) yes foxes again. I still need a link or something to the music, I followed that lady but her song from the film wasn't on there and something Tap? love tap? I really need that on my Spotify favorites.

Foxes are my go to for learning to paint, some of my earlier ones looked funky, I find if I focus on the same subject and keep practicing I see improvements, but thank you that really means a lot. And like I said if you need anymore context on anything I said feel free to ask. Sharing with a 'normal' person doesn't happen every day, and when it does and when they genuinely care and have a sincere interest that means the world to me, I don't say that lightly. It may have taken eight-hours to write, that part doesn't matter. The fact someone cared enough to ask does.

The problem with the Ufo field itself is that no one is on the ground floor. People like Whitley and the others have been involved in the more public side their whole lives, they all know the X Y and Z's and I often take that for granted too. But that's Ufology and as sincere as the Near Death community were they don't want to talk about it. They are normal people living normal lives and coming back here was one of the hardest things they had to do too. I never found much of a kinship with any of them, but I respect their experience all the same. I wish with every fiber of my being that people knew there is something after this, it might not change a lot but even a little is something. I've met far too many people who were eaten alive by grief, I've never been able to feel it, but I've seen what it can do to a person. It's the one thing I wish people didn't have to suffer, if they really knew the truth they'd live every day with a smile and be grateful for their time here because like I said it can be over in a flash. Mine was and even-though the circumstances that caused it were dreadful, I'd rather experience all of that another million times than to live my life, wondering, worrying and simply not knowing.

I just wish I had the words to do it justice and I don't. Everyone has to see it for themselves, and they will eventually. I don't claim to know what God is, and I'm not a theologian but neither was anyone over there. They were like you and I living in the format they were given. The hardest part is knowing something so perfect and full of real love is just at arms reach, but like everyone else I have to wait. I don't like this world, I don't like what we're doing to it, I don't like the way we treat each other, but I'm still grateful for the lesson. I came away with a lot from that experience and I do think I gained more than I lost. The rest will come when it comes and I'll meet it with a smile on my face and wide open arms when it does.

@kyleforrester87
lol well, i gotta say. it's refreshing to see people in here put in the time and effort to engage with one another with actual conversations in a forum, which we all know is an absolute niche/semi-ghost town in this day and age thanks to the rise and popularity of other SM platforms. Forums were fantastic back in the 2000's and early 2010's, but traffic-wise they're probably less than 10% as active as they once were all those years ago. The NintendoLife forum for example, was alive and bustling back in the late 2000's/early 2010's. Not anymore.

I can't stand Reddit, and most YouTube talk backs these days. The upvote/downvote system just lours in the attention seekers looking for validation, and i don't care if a YT content creator hearts my comment. It all generally dissolves into one-off more shallow and limited conversations. To make things that much worse, most people are generally punching comments in from some cumbersome smart phone, which is a barrier in itself thanks to the small screen and touch-based keys. I find it depressing.

If the upvote/down vote system didn't exist, including the ability for YT Content creators to heart stamp your comments, along with the banning of smart phones, we'd be seeing a lot more conversations in regards to whatever your hobbies may be, and the forums may be in a much better spot. The TikTok brain rot epidemiic is in full throttle. I'm old school, my phone sits in my kitchen and i only ever use it for calls or the occasional text, and that's it.

When I'm online, i prefer using my 16" laptop(With my living room TV on in the background), or sometimes my 27" Desktop PC Monitor. The Quest 3 is an absolute blast to use online, with it's size adjustable dual(or triple) Mixed Reality displays either in MR mode in your own living space, or in a custom VR hub. You can also connect a wireless keyboard & mouse with it as well. But, it's still 500g of weight on your head, and it gets a pinch uncomfortable and a little warm after a while. Thankfully, meta's 2027 Pheonex adresses that and then some. 100g light weight glasses(using a tethered puck that clips on to your waist), MicroOLED, higher resolution, more power etc. That'll be one of my go-to's for online shopping, YouTube & the forums.