What I do.

ChileanTaco

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Taco
I consider that a bad azz job. I wish I had gone into something like that. Especially anything to do with space or space exploration. Even in a support role, heck I'd climb up there and clean lens if they promised to let me peek through it after 😉😁
I might have to disappoint you: You won't see much ;) Really: Actually, it's not possible to peek through these telescopes - they only transmit data to a computer. On our control screen, we see some images in black and white that appear very grainy. (We use these images to be sure we are pointing correctly (means: really taking data from the correct astronomical object); the data taken come down in the form of spectra, or larger, but still grainy-looking images.)
For the nice images you might have seen in books, or online, or on TV: These are real, but they are heavily postprocessed, usually from combining images through various filter bands to make a color image, and to add multiple images next to each other to cover a wider area.
The best view for "hobby enthusiasts", in my opinion, is using a medium-sized telescope through which one actually can peek (or connect a camera suitable for hobby astrophotography), and go to a very dark location, like a visitor's platform below a big telescope, or joining a public outing with a university. To far away for you ;) but we are doing this for example: Using telescopes with up to 50 cm mirrors to go to a place near Paranal and observe, where visitors/ tourists can join. Much better view than sitting along with a e.g. Keck or VLT observer in their observing control room, staring at grainy images and graphs going up and down :D
(Btw.: I sometimes had the opportunity to take visitors with me into the control room during night when observing at Keck. I warned them before what to expect, to not be disappointed.)
 
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xp29

BD.org Addict
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Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
I might have to disappoint you: You won't see much ;) Really: Actually, it's not possible to peek through these telescopes - they only transmit data to a computer. On our control screen, we see some images in black and white that appear very grainy. (We use these images to be sure we are pointing correctly (means: really taking data from the correct astronomical object); the data taken come down in the form of spectra, or larger, but still grainy-looking images.)
For the nice images you might have seen in books, or online, or on TV: These are real, but they are heavily postprocessed, usually from combining images through various filter bands to make a color image, and to add multiple images next to each other to cover a wider area.
The best view for "hobby enthusiasts", in my opinion, is using a medium-sized telescope through which one actually can peek (or connect a camera suitable for hobby astrophotography), and go to a very dark location, like a visitor's platform below a big telescope, or joining a public outing with a university. To far away for you ;) but we are doing this for example: Using telescopes with up to 50 cm mirrors to go to a place near Paranal and observe, where visitors/ tourists can join. Much better view than sitting along with a e.g. Keck or VLT observer in their observing control room, staring at grainy images and graphs going up and down :D
(Btw.: I sometimes had the opportunity to take visitors with me into the control room during night when observing at Keck. I warned them before what to expect, to not be disappointed.)
I bought Christina a medium sized telescope a while back. It's fun but we haven't actually took it out to where it's good darkness yet. But we do live very close to Utah and if I remember correctly they have some of the darkest places to use a telescope 🔭 🤔 when it warms up some we might take the camper up around Moab for a few days. If so I'll take the telescope for sure. Christina wants one of the mounts for a camera, I will probably research what works.
 

xp29

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Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
I think that any person who loves his job will be like a magician.
Believe me, for many of us your job is something inaccessible.
I have always admired people who can disassemble and, most importantly, assemble a transmission.
Thank you 🙂
It's kindda funny how when we get good at something, we just shrug it off as not a big deal. But to someone that doesn't do it it looks impossible. The difference is though, as your are a guy that gets things. I could teach you my jobs in a very short time well enough you could be on your way to being successful at it. It looks a lot scarier than it is. But I know 100% it would take me a life time to try to learn what you guy do. I guess it these different abilities that lets us build great societies 🙂
 

ChileanTaco

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Taco
I bought Christina a medium sized telescope a while back. It's fun but we haven't actually took it out to where it's good darkness yet. But we do live very close to Utah and if I remember correctly they have some of the darkest places to use a telescope 🔭 🤔 when it warms up some we might take the camper up around Moab for a few days. If so I'll take the telescope for sure. Christina wants one of the mounts for a camera, I will probably research what works.
I personally do not own one, as from our balcony, it's just too bright - and in addition we have no car. Btw., never owned my own telescope as a) the really small, cheap ones are not good and it's disappointing, b) the larger ones can be great, but expensive (was ways too expensive for me as a student) and you need a dark location.
So I rather go with astronomy clubs, like from the university, or while I studied in Germany, there was also a private one. This often gives access to really good telescopes for just a little money, and usually also transportation can be arranged so I could attend without owning a car.
As you own a car and seem to drive quite a lot: I'd recommend do an overnight camping trip (or multiple days) and take the telescope with you!
In addition, you might look up an astronomy club/ public observatory somewhat near where you go. then you could use, in addition, larger telescopes and might also get some useful tips for using your own especially for astrophotography :)
 

ChileanTaco

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Taco
Thank you 🙂
It's kindda funny how when we get good at something, we just shrug it off as not a big deal. But to someone that doesn't do it it looks impossible.
🙂

Or, to some amount: We try to chose our professions and our hobbies according to what we are good at. (Disclaimer: I'm aware that especially for a job, it's not always possible.)
I could think of tons of jobs where one might soon "talk with HR" and fire me. Tons of jobs many people might describe as "easy", but who would stress me out and confuse me and there would be tons of misunderstandings until somebody would tell me I have to leave.
For me, for example, the job of our front-desk person and another administrative assistant look "impossible" to me: Tons of phone calls, recognizing all the people by their faces (in contrast, I have prosopagnosia!), not being stressed out by people all the time walking through the door past their desk... in between, accepting delivery, politely declining a request, in between trying to find time to help new foreign employees with their bureaucracy... Really, I'm happy I can work quietly at my place, don't have to interpret people, and I'm not constantly interrupted. And nobody cares if that between-a-laptop-and-a-soldering-station guy (gal :)) is a bit awkward or not.

The difference is though, as your are a guy that gets things. I could teach you my jobs in a very short time well enough you could be on your way to being successful at it. It looks a lot scarier than it is. But I know 100% it would take me a life time to try to learn what you guy do. I guess it these different abilities that lets us build great societies
Yours, maybe. The job of the front desk person and administrative assistant: I doubt, honestly. I for sure will memorize the phone numbers, will get the keys for the new employee in time - but all the phone calls, all the people walking past, all the interruptions, it will stress me out. And the mistakes by not recognizing people by their faces and guessing their intent and mood will be huge.
Open house day at the institute or astronomy club? Please let me take over giving a talk, or explaining some instruments - please don't give me the task to watch the kids, or to nicely serve coffee and cake!

For the societies, I absolutely agree with you! I strongly believe that different traits, gifts, personalities, including neurodiversity have evolved as a more diverse society - whatever it is, just starting with a tribe, a village - just works better and is more successful. It would not be realistic that everybody would be good at a huge range of things; and if we all would have the same traits, gifts, personalities, just some would not exist.
So we naturally try to find our niches.
 
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IAmAMirage

Juvie Member
Beardie name(s)
Mirage
I made a comment the other day in a pm about what I do for a living and the things I do for recreation and the crowd I generally run with.
It occurred to me that I've posted lots of photos of what I do for recreation but none of what I do at work. I thought I would post a few of that just for giggles.
This is one of the more simple units I do. But in it's day it was one of the most widely distributed units on the road.
It's the notorious 4L-slippy better know as the 4L60e.
For the record I DID NOT paint it pink, some other knuckle-head did that 😆
This is the disassembled and cleaned unit, the overhaul stuff hasn't arrived yet or I would have included that in the pictures as well.
The first coulpe pictures are the failed and/or upgraded parts.
View attachment 95786 View attachment 95787 View attachment 95788 View attachment 95789 View attachment 95790 View attachment 95791 View attachment 95792 View attachment 95793

My hand in the picture is for reference. Most of the stuff on the table all goes in the little bitty hole. Transmissions truly are a wonder of engineering.
Honestly if I fully disassembled it all at once there would be about half again as much on the table, but I do it in stages to save room to actually work lol.
Interesting. I'm currently self-employed :D
I own a home bakery business called Heavenly Bakes :)
Our slogan is "Where every dessert is divine!"
I'm working with my dad (who is in IT and also knows how to code) on making a website :)
I plan on going to college and majoring in business and minoring in culinary :)
@xp29 @NickAVD @ChileanTaco
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
I personally do not own one, as from our balcony, it's just too bright - and in addition we have no car. Btw., never owned my own telescope as a) the really small, cheap ones are not good and it's disappointing, b) the larger ones can be great, but expensive (was ways too expensive for me as a student) and you need a dark location.
So I rather go with astronomy clubs, like from the university, or while I studied in Germany, there was also a private one. This often gives access to really good telescopes for just a little money, and usually also transportation can be arranged so I could attend without owning a car.
As you own a car and seem to drive quite a lot: I'd recommend do an overnight camping trip (or multiple days) and take the telescope with you!
In addition, you might look up an astronomy club/ public observatory somewhat near where you go. then you could use, in addition, larger telescopes and might also get some useful tips for using your own especially for astrophotography :)
That's a good idea, if we go I'll look into it 🙂
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
Or, to some amount: We try to chose our professions and our hobbies according to what we are good at. (Disclaimer: I'm aware that especially for a job, it's not always possible.)
I could think of tons of jobs where one might soon "talk with HR" and fire me. Tons of jobs many people might describe as "easy", but who would stress me out and confuse me and there would be tons of misunderstandings until somebody would tell me I have to leave.
For me, for example, the job of our front-desk person and another administrative assistant look "impossible" to me: Tons of phone calls, recognizing all the people by their faces (in contrast, I have prosopagnosia!), not being stressed out by people all the time walking through the door past their desk... in between, accepting delivery, politely declining a request, in between trying to find time to help new foreign employees with their bureaucracy... Really, I'm happy I can work quietly at my place, don't have to interpret people, and I'm not constantly interrupted. And nobody cares if that between-a-laptop-and-a-soldering-station guy (gal :)) is a bit awkward or not.


Yours, maybe. The job of the front desk person and administrative assistant: I doubt, honestly. I for sure will memorize the phone numbers, will get the keys for the new employee in time - but all the phone calls, all the people walking past, all the interruptions, it will stress me out. And the mistakes by not recognizing people by their faces and guessing their intent and mood will be huge.
Open house day at the institute or astronomy club? Please let me take over giving a talk, or explaining some instruments - please don't give me the task to watch the kids, or to nicely serve coffee and cake!

For the societies, I absolutely agree with you! I strongly believe that different traits, gifts, personalities, including neurodiversity have evolved as a more diverse society - whatever it is, just starting with a tribe, a village - just works better and is more successful. It would not be realistic that everybody would be good at a huge range of things; and if we all would have the same traits, gifts, personalities, just some would not exist.
So we naturally try to find our niches.
Yeah I wouldn't/haven't been good at counter work. I don't have the patience or disposition for that kind of work. I'm more like you, put me in front of a crowd to explain how something works or how to take care of a beardie... no problem. Answer questions on a one to one basis.... no problem. Keeping up with a crowd and trying to cater to each one... not a chance lol. I much prefer behind the scenes technical work. I will carry a whole shop, but I want no part of running it 🙂
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
Interesting. I'm currently self-employed :D
I own a home bakery business called Heavenly Bakes :)
Our slogan is "Where every dessert is divine!"
I'm working with my dad (who is in IT and also knows how to code) on making a website :)
I plan on going to college and majoring in business and minoring in culinary :)
@xp29 @NickAVD @ChileanTaco
That's AWESOME!!!!!! 👌
I hope you are insanely successful 🙂 (I really mean that to, I'm not just saying it) and your right every dessert IS divine. If I had my way dessert would be the first course 😋.... that's probably why I'm over weight lmao 🤣
If you plan on shipping deserts, for sure post a link when you get up and running, I for one will pass it on to friends and family 🙂
 

ChileanTaco

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Taco
I will carry a whole shop, but I want no part of running it 🙂
Exactly.

Yeah I wouldn't/haven't been good at counter work. I don't have the patience or disposition for that kind of work. I'm more like you, put me in front of a crowd to explain how something works or how to take care of a beardie... no problem. Answer questions on a one to one basis.... no problem. Keeping up with a crowd and trying to cater to each one... not a chance lol. I much prefer behind the scenes technical work.
I remember somebody not understanding the difference of "me giving a talk at a scientific conference" (no problem for me doing that) vs. "giving a funny speech at a wedding and entertaining people". Well, both has something to do with "talking in front of a crowd", but...
Answer questions on a one to one basis.... no problem.
Also no problem for me. I'll work with an intern for the next two months (computer science student in his final year, has to do an internship normally in a company but was very much into doing their internship at a (different) university in a research lab) - no problem for me, and I can be sure they're somebody who is interested.
It's ways harder when it's with people not really interested in it, though. Something like: School class (not with specific STEM profile or such; random 8th grader) on an outing, most kids not being interested in the topic, almost all just waiting for lunch break, very few seem to be interested to some degree but try to hide it so others won't mock them. Hard.
 
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xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
Exactly.


I remember somebody not understanding the difference of "me giving a talk at a scientific conference" (no problem for me doing that) vs. "giving a funny speech at a wedding and entertaining people". Well, both has something to do with "talking in front of a crowd", but...

Also no problem for me. I'll work with an intern for the next two months (computer science student in his final year, has to do an internship normally in a company but was very much into doing their internship at a (different) university in a research lab) - no problem for me, and I can be sure they're somebody who is interested.
It's ways harder when it's with people not really interested in it, though. Something like: School class (not with specific STEM profile or such; random 8th grader) on an outing, most kids not being interested in the topic, almost all just waiting for lunch break, very few seem to be interested to some degree but try to hide it so others won't mock them. Hard.
It's funny we're so similar. Your a self proclaimed introvert. I'm not really an introvert, but I am very anti-social. I prefer to keep a small group of very good friends over tons of kindda friends. But both of us kindda gravitate towards similar working conditions.
 

ChileanTaco

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Taco
I prefer to keep a small group of very good friends over tons of kindda friends.
Me also.
And the introvert part is: To charge up mental energy, I need to be alone and do something quietly.
Meeting friends is nice - but please not every weekend. Also not each second weekend. Once in a month, we're fine.
Meeting friends is nice - but please one person for dinner or board games, and not a party.
Feeling low energy, and day/ week was stressful? Please don't treat me with going out; I would prefer to quietly cook a meal at home (means: no interactions, no surprises whether what lands on my plate is good) and read a book afterwards. And if really going out, chose the quiet restaurant and not the loud pub.

And so often I feel things are not a good fit: Break rooms are usually crowded and loud (during college, for breaks I always avoided these rooms, even if it was cold during winter - rather ate the lunch I brought somewhere outside; at work, I usually eat either in my office or go on a walk while eating). If there is a multi-day event for e.g. students, new employees (sometimes I overcame myself and said this time I try it) - there is literally not a single hour reserved to retreat and to be alone, days are stuffed with group activities and even meals might have a "fun" component like suddenly dinner is a crime-theme dinner and nobody told you before...
If it would be designed for (people like) me: In a break room, you eat and at most whisper. A multi-day event has as many "be alone breaks" as breaks for eating, and all the breaks for eating are quiet, too.

For me, time alone is as important as a break for eating something or going to the restroom: Something I really need.
Also as a kid, I never found the way kids "normally" interact and play appealing. I liked to quietly draw and paint, or read, or tinker, or watch animals, or look for interesting stones and snail shells... and maybe, maybe talk with a friend about doing so. For sure you had not found me running around and yelling around and laughing out loud and playing those "typical" games. And breakfast/ lunch breaks were not my thing for that reason. If kindergarden or school had a garden, I tried to quietly sneak away.
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
Me also.
And the introvert part is: To charge up mental energy, I need to be alone and do something quietly.
Meeting friends is nice - but please not every weekend. Also not each second weekend. Once in a month, we're fine.
Meeting friends is nice - but please one person for dinner or board games, and not a party.
Feeling low energy, and day/ week was stressful? Please don't treat me with going out; I would prefer to quietly cook a meal at home (means: no interactions, no surprises whether what lands on my plate is good) and read a book afterwards. And if really going out, chose the quiet restaurant and not the loud pub.

And so often I feel things are not a good fit: Break rooms are usually crowded and loud (during college, for breaks I always avoided these rooms, even if it was cold during winter - rather ate the lunch I brought somewhere outside; at work, I usually eat either in my office or go on a walk while eating). If there is a multi-day event for e.g. students, new employees (sometimes I overcame myself and said this time I try it) - there is literally not a single hour reserved to retreat and to be alone, days are stuffed with group activities and even meals might have a "fun" component like suddenly dinner is a crime-theme dinner and nobody told you before...
If it would be designed for (people like) me: In a break room, you eat and at most whisper. A multi-day event has as many "be alone breaks" as breaks for eating, and all the breaks for eating are quiet, too.

For me, time alone is as important as a break for eating something or going to the restroom: Something I really need.
Also as a kid, I never found the way kids "normally" interact and play appealing. I liked to quietly draw and paint, or read, or tinker, or watch animals, or look for interesting stones and snail shells... and maybe, maybe talk with a friend about doing so. For sure you had not found me running around and yelling around and laughing out loud and playing those "typical" games. And breakfast/ lunch breaks were not my thing for that reason. If kindergarden or school had a garden, I tried to quietly sneak away.
I was always an explorer as a kid. There were millions of small animals to find, tons of fossils and geodes to hunt for. Creeks that needed to be investigated, trees to climb. Lots of small caves to go in. I spent more time doing stuff like that. I didn't avoid other kids but if they wanted to hang out, it would be doing stuff like that.
 

ChileanTaco

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Taco
@xp29
I did exactly the same. Was kind of a "tomboy" :)
Childhood and youth photos show usually a girl in an overall and rubber boots, arms scratched up from going into hedges, maybe showing off some animal or plant or fossil, empty bird egg, skull... found. Summer breaks and evenings and weekends like this were just the best - school's out, and off into the woods and creeks :)
When visiting Germany a few weeks ago, I still saw many places that reminded me of that time.
And still, regularly going hiking and exploring is my thing.
I travel a lot for business, and I'm always happy if it's not to a big city (like New York... not my thing) but to a bit more remote place. And then I use any time off to go hiking and exploring.

Avoiding kids: There was nobody who did the same - only kids my parents invited over to try to find me some friends, and I didn't get along with them as they "played typically", scared animals away, or, worse, found it funny to stomp a katydid flat that I just wanted to show them to maybe "break the ice" over doing so and spark interest.
 

NickAVD

Gray-bearded Member
Beardie name(s)
Foxy
Thank you 🙂
It's kindda funny how when we get good at something, we just shrug it off as not a big deal. But to someone that doesn't do it it looks impossible. The difference is though, as your are a guy that gets things. I could teach you my jobs in a very short time well enough you could be on your way to being successful at it. It looks a lot scarier than it is. But I know 100% it would take me a life time to try to learn what you guy do. I guess it these different abilities that lets us build great societies 🙂
I think you are being modest.
I am sure you have a huge amount of experience gained over the years, just like I have in my business.
And to succeed in your business, I will need my whole life, I have no chance.
I can't even learn to weld metal evenly and beautifully, although I try to do it in my free time.
 

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