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Hey there, hi there, ho there! I'm looking for find my Jedi Council. I'm hoping to find people who can have done any of the following things to help me out and be helped out in return, hopefully. Starting a small Business - I'm currently working on starting a small home business doing computer repair. Anyone with experience running a business would be great to talk to! Big bonus points if you did so in Canada so the rules and laws will be the same. I want to do this all on the up and up.Weight loss - I've got weight to lose. I know how to do, I've done it before and even helped others do it, but then I got lazy, gained it back. Really just looking for other people to journey withComputer Repair/IT - I know there are dedicated forums for this all over the web, but just someone to bounce ideas off of when I get stuck working on clients PC, or even just to vent to for stupid issuesCool people to chat with?Business Accounting - This might just go with the first one, but anyone that knows a lot about Business accounting in Canada. If you have experience with any of these and feel like becoming my mentor, I would be forever grateful. Or if you feel I could be of any help to you in anything, just let me know (I've always wanted to be a Jedi master!!) Y-Not (Tony)

So, I went to download some stuff to start writing code again... just a Software Development Kit and IDE... with the goal of making some apps to see if I still dig the problem solving aspect of writing programs. Apparently, my dinosaur computer is too old. Maybe I could shell out some money and upgrade it so I could upgrade the OS so I could run some stuff... but it's not the machine I would have picked if I'd had other choices at the time. (It's an iMac from 2007-8. It was free. It is currently serving its purpose of web browsing and occasionally running Word and Excel, and sometimes being closer to hand than an actual calculator.) Since I haven't done anything serious with a computer in years, and I was never super-knowledgeable about hardware, I now have no idea how much computer I need to acquire to start writing code again. I'm not fooling myself into thinking that this is a career investment, so I'm can't just go get the current top of the line (or even near that), but I don't want to cheap out so much that I find myself in the same spot I'm in now - can't run the stuff (IDE, etc) that everyone else is using. Any suggestions on what I should be looking for in a new (to me) computer? tl;dr: suggestions for a computer specs for getting back into programming?

Hokay, so. Here's Mir. Not round. But damn, sweet Mir. Anyway. Here is my word vomit: Background I've struggled with depression and ADHD for pretty much my entire adult life. In particular, I have traditionally had enormous trouble maintaining a job of any kind. Part time, full time, retail, office, professional, etc., it doesn't matter. After a while, I just can't make it to work every day. I have struggled. I have tried. I have set goals, rewards, budgets, etc etc etc...nothing works. I'm sure that I've talked about this extensively in older posts; if you have questions, feel free to ask, but I don't want to get into the details here. To show how bad it really is, I've been with my current employer since January 2013. I earn 4 hours of sick time every pay period (2 weeks). I have no accumulated sick time. Current Situation I had something of a mental breakdown in May (a lot of things came to a head all at once and I just couldn't handle it); thus I have been off work since around Mother's Day. I have exhausted my FMLA credits, although I do get another 3 months or so of unpaid medical leave. This gives me until Nov 20. I had a meeting with work people recently to talk about going back, and I'm just...not ready. I feel as though I only have one chance to go back and make it work, because if I fail again, even if I have leave time left, who is going to feel they can rely on me? Talking with my therapist, I have come to the conclusion that maybe the traditional work environment/schedule just doesn't work for me. I have spent my entire life trying to fit my square self into the round world, and it's impossible; so now it's time to see if I can make my world square. I know I am smart. I am ambitious, dedicated, enthusiastic, outgoing, friendly, and all-around awesome. When I become interested in something, I can (and often do) focus nearly all my attention to it until I have a handle on it. Trouble is, I seem to get bored easily, and the combination of boredom plus a work environment in which I don't thrive have created the perfect storm. I frequently wonder if I really am just lazy or stupid. Which makes me mad. Okay, that was a tangent. Anyway. What I Need I need a job/career that is a better fit for me than what I've been doing. Some of the things I believe I need/value in a job are as follows: autonomyflexibility re: schedulingability to try new things (even if they fail)/be creativechallengesuhh, I can't brain - something that is able to capture and keep my interest, OR something that changes frequentlyThose are all the things I can think of for now. So, considering something like contract or freelance work. I'm interested in EVERYTHING. My degree is a BBA in Information Technology Management, and I enjoy technical details as well as the overall picture. For the past couple of years, I've worked as an IT programmer/analyst using SAP Business Objects. SQL appeals to me because it's logical but also because it's like a puzzle to figure out...although I will also admit that I'm not always 100% awesome with all the details (missing commas, what?). I also have an interest in project management; specifically requirements gathering (probably). I've billed myself as a bridge between people and technology, because I can walk the walk and I can also talk the talk. I tend to be pretty good at putting technical concepts in layman's terms. Plus, I think that's really something that is lacking in the tech world. SO. I never had enough self-confidence to think I could be an entrepreneur or do anything like contract/freelance...but now that I'm thinking about it, I'm excited. However....I have no idea where to start. I have a couple of people I can contact, and I will, but I have NO idea if they will be able to help me. Any advice/suggestions/leads? My deadline looms large in my face.

besides me, of course. i have been using it avidly at home since 2008, but i know very few other people who do the same. i figured that, since this is a forum for nerds, there must be at least a Linux user or two lurking here somewhere. that said, if you use Linux, reply to this post with your distro of choice and why you like it.

Howdy friends! I am a TOTAL Noob here and I suppose thats not a bad thing. I will be participating in the upcoming 6 week challenge. A little about me. I am 24 years old, working full time as an IT Assistant, I have the best job and I love it I have a daughter she is 4 years old and a hubby who is on the fence about this whole exercise thing lol. He will come around after he sees me work; he usually does. I am graduating with a Batchelors in Computer Science next weekend(Go ME!) I am a Ranger, I love nature, swimming, hiking, running, skipping, you name it. I recently discovered bodyweight exercise, and i think i'm in love <3 there is something about using your own body for resistance and weight that makes me happy! I am also taking baby steps towards a Paleo Lifestyle. Starting with cutting out grains and soda. I have a serious soda addiction that needs to be put in check! I hope to make some new friends along the way! I am a positive person so I give good support to those who need it if they are willing to be my friend and support me as well

I sit behind a desk for a living in a job that always has food around and that provides doughnuts every Friday. As a result, I have jumped back to 255 on Jan 1st. I am tired of being overweight At the first of the year, I jumped back into the slow/carb diet and on 12th I was sitting at 240. This week I am making the transition to Paleo. basically cutting out beans. It has been tough this week, I am hungry a ton. I seem to be eating every few hours. And I still have the bad habit of 1 12oz Diet soda a day - I am drinking a ton of water though! I also started the basic body weight workouts this week. My fitness goals: Tough Mudder in 2014 180lbs 10% body fat by Jan 1 touch my palms to the floor (not flexible enough to touch my toes yet) I am glad to be here - looking to find some accountability other than my wife and my waist. Happy to be here!