u/curiositykilledsleep

Suggestions for banjo plans? style? And wood?

I just started a community ed woodworking class. We have to make a couple small projects first (end grain cutting board then a keepsake box) but I’ll have time to do my own project after. I’ll have 5-8 three hour classes worth of time in the shop with just about every piece of equipment imaginable. So… banjo time!

I am required to have plans for any project I do. I am wanting to make a fretless for sure, but whether I go with a gourd, tin can, mountain style, or build a segmented rim… I’m not sure! Part of me thinks, keep it simple with a tin can or gourd since I’m new to this. But the other part is like… “you will likely never have access to so much equipment and also help, may as well do the rim!”

I’ve also been trying to listen to different banjos to hear how each style sounds and it’s hard to know for sure what’s making one sound better than another. I watched Clifton hicks vids of some mountain banjos that I really disliked the sound of, so I wrote them off, but then heard Zack’s paint creek mountain banjos and many are quite nice and full sounding. I like that I could do wood burning design on the front rim (lots of real estate there)

I haven’t loved the sound on most tin cans but some are amazing?! Gourds seem unpredictable…And the rimmed ones sound Pretty nice, but I’d have to do a tack head I think. I do live in Utah so might not matter to not have tension control too much.

Anyway, any advice on what makes a good sound, what’s realistic for my skill/time, or links to a real actual plan would be sincerely appreciated.

My brothers and I have been dealing with different but seemingly similar types of chronic pain (and not painful but notable) mysteries for a while. I have been interested in trying to solve as it seems obvious there’s a genetic connection to me. I recently have become pretty convinced we all have different expressions of central sensitization. I have read that there can be underlying genetic disposition, but to what extent? Enough that you can have symptoms of it from childhood and in each sibling? Cause it looks like most of what is discussed is trauma whether a single big event or many small events, that lead to the sensitization… tbh, I don’t think any of us has had much trauma, not emotionally. And physically no big accidents or anything. One works in construction so he has more daily wear… but yeah. It just seems like it relies more on the genetic component than it should for the descriptions I’ve read of cause. ETA, I’m trying to avoid using they who shall not be named. (🤖) so I’m relying on articles, videos, and human knowledge.

About few weeks ago I had just a couple inhales on a cartridge. I had what I can describe as an acute Alice in wonderland syndrome experience. At first my hands looked bigger and arms long. Then other things and people looked big but like zoomed in (far around the edges.) it put me into a panic I guess because I just didn’t want to open my eyes anymore. I felt nauseous. I was sweating and still felt this far away close up feeling toward the world with my eyes shut. Started an actual derealization feeling for the first time in my life. Like I was just observing and not really existing. I felt mostly better after about an hour and completely better after a warm bath.

Since then I’ve gotten vestibular migraines really easily. At least I’m pretty sure that’s what they are. The occipital pattern headache, dizziness, visual triggered, paresthesia in face and scalp and sweaty. I’ve gotten them before but I just am having them more intense and frequently now. I know this Alice in wonderland syndrome thing can be a symptom of the vestibular migraines but it also can happen just from psychoactive drugs. So I’m not sure if it just triggered a migraine and subsequent baseline sensitivity… or if it’s just a coincidence and I have weird reactions to thc.

I get occlusion when I move my jaw which sucks since I’m deaf in my highs and have perfect hearing in my lows. But one thing I’ve realized lately is that either the occlusion or just the pressure of the domes in my ear canal when I try to wear them deep enough or the changing pressure from eating or talking… it’s what’s causing my dizziness! I hadn’t realized cause I kept thinking it was other issues and didn’t recognize the pattern that it only happens when wearing my aids! So… 🤖 suggest custom molds but I don’t trust its recommendation more than Reddit’s. Does customs relieve the pressure pain in the canal one gets from moving jaws while eating and talking? The ear aches? And the occlusion?

My inner logic always told me it would make it worse cause they are firmer than a dome. And literally more closed. But the 🤖 that is suggesting the customs says otherwise. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤔

I know that it can go either way or be both…but I’m often wondering if some of my problems are caused by others and if I’m treating it the wrong way around.

I’ve had depression since puberty. SSRI’s at age 30 helped me a lot til they didn’t work as well about 6 years later and got worse because I stupidly quit them. I was diagnosed adhd and PMDD at 27 and assumed both of those are where my depression stemmed from. Go back in ssri’s, started birth control hormones and adderall (after trying other things these are what landed as a good fit) and things are a lot better in many ways but…. I’m also just always sleepy and burned out and tired. It’s not chronic fatigue like with post exertional malaise… it PRE-exertional. 😅 the more stressed or overwhelmed I am the more exhausted I feel. The sleepier I get. So I just sleep all the damn time. Even on 40 mg adderall xr I slept napped from 10 am to 2pm. It’s not the more I do. It’s the more I dread doing. But also sometimes there just being too much on my mental plate. The guilt of being unproductive just spirals and is self fulfilling too. I’ve looked into sleep disorders like idiopathic hypersomnia and am curious about it. But I also have such a hyperactive nervous system. It doesn’t make sense to be this tired when you’ve always got adrenaline running. And making it worse with my Adderall but feeling like there’s no choice because I otherwise can’t even get going at all most days. It’s such a catch22… conundrum… Chicken and the egg. I don’t know… I just feel like either there’s a different root cause and I’m misdiagnosed or like I’m untreatable. Maybe it is just depression causing the sleepiness and overwhelm and unproductively. Or maybe I’m just a lazy fucking loser trying to make excuses for myself by trying to pin down a medical problem.

“Occlusion effect” is when the bassy end of your own voice is trapped in your head due to the seal in your ear (like if you were singing while wearing ear plugs) In my situation, with profound high frequency hearing loss and above average hearing in the low frequencies, when it happens it is debilitating to my musicianship. It’s like I’m singing underwater while the band is on land.

Due to my needs as a HoH musician playing multiple instruments, I really think In ear monitors (IEM’s) would help me with distinguishing my instruments and everything. And help me protect my hearing from further loss since I am always having to turn things up in the wedge monitors and blare my hearing aids to their max every gig. But since I am also singing 80% of the time I can’t be having that occlusion either! I would imagine if anyone gets it it’s singers.
Some IEM’s say they have a “ambiance” feature. I am worried this means hearing the room not avoiding trapped voice inside head as they are not always the same thing. And many are “vented” but doesn’t mean they fully (or mostly) avoid occlusion either. I’m looking for that perfect balance of isolation without occlusion without spending an arm and a leg. (Like ideally less than 600) I Might be chasing a unicorn but if anyone knows if it’s achievable it’ll be you guys.😘

I have tulips. They said I needed those because my hearing is too bad for domes. My pattern is steep ski slope. occlusion plagues me. I can NOT get used to it. It makes me confused and I litterally can’t hear anyone or anything. I can’t have a conversation without feeling super disoriented. And I can’t sing without it blocking the sound of the instruments in the band. I have learned a hack from someone here a few years ago to snip the tulips. I now do this every time I put new one on. Sometimes it still occludes when chewing or talking or singing in I have to just take them out til I can give them a bigger snip.

The tech tells me I need to use tulips and not switch because of my loss but I basically make them functionally into domes. Ugh. I want that magical balance of isolating the amplification while avoiding all occlusion. Is this possible with custom molds?

I’m looking into in-ear-monitors (IEM’s) as I am a musician and I also don’t want to spend a ton of money on IEM’s if they are all going to do this to me too. I won’t be able to think or hear the rest of the band and myself playing the instruments when I sing! Which defeats the purpose of even getting them.

So…. What’s the real story. Does everyone get occlusion and they just get used to it? Am I super sensitive? Is it possible to get that sealed off outside sound without the sealed off inside sound?

I have a really hard time anchoring my pinky. Dunno if it’s me just not giving it enough determination to make the habit stick or if my pinky is just too weak due to my campodactyly (my pinky doesn’t straighten due to a shortened tendon).

I got the cheapest banjo I could find on Amazon a while back to learn on. It was is resonator style and after playing some banjos in store I’ve realized it was a huge mistake to get such a cheapo. I want to commit and splurge on a nice one so that the bad quality isn’t standing in the way of my motivation and I have no excuse but to blame myself for not working at it 😉🤓

I’ve had the banjo 2 years but still play at the same level I was at 2 months. I really struggle with the way metal picks feel. I just am really sloppy and clumsy with them on. If I’m wearing acrylic nails I play much much better and they still have a loud enough sound that it’s my preferred way to play but I can’t reliably always have nails on! I pick at them and ruin them with gardening and other hobbies and they end up peeling my nails away to thin unhealthy and sore stubs. And not having nails on and ready to play all the time holds me back from playing more.

So part of me thinks I should just switch styles and learn clawhammer. I do love the sound of clawhammer just as much. I’m not good at figuring out how to do different time signatures with it though. Anything but bum diddy. And admittedly my banjo picking is much more like guitar picking with thumb and 3 fingers so I’m really thinking I need to relearn how to pick if I go the picking style way. I guess I’m saying I’m not advanced enough to feel like I am on a for sure path of one vs the other.

I haven’t seen many tabs in clawhammer style? I prefer figuring things out myself anyway though and rely on chords a lot. I am wanting to be able to play as acompinament to singing. Like be able to just play it similar to how a folk guitarist does. just guitar and singing. Not just for fleshing out the sound in a band with texture and melody. Although that would be great too! I guess I want everything. 🤓 I play in a duo and my partner plays guitar. I usually drum or mandolin but want to add banjo to our performances. And it would be nice to be able to do like a solo of just me singing with banjo in case he needs to change a string or emergency bathroom break or something. But also most of the time would be playing with guitar, base drum and two voice harmonies.

As I decide on a good banjo I’m also deciding on a style going forward and Probly starting lessons for a while so it’ll effect the banjo I get and the teacher I choose. If you have any advice on what direction I should go I’d love to hear it.

I’m wondering what your story looks like when you were diagnosed? Like even wondering if my depression and adhd could even be secondary to a sleep disorder and if your family members tend to have it too? I took the screening severity scale test (IHSS) and I am at a 26. I am NOT diagnosed as I have only just heard of this through trying to solve what it is I’ve got going on since I don’t think it’s your classic chronic fatigue or narcolepsy either. I’m just freaking so tired all the time. But I haven’t always been my whole life at this level. Sure past puberty I was sleepier and would fall asleep in class a lot and have very high sleep needs in comparison to peers but not as sleepy as I do now.

I’m 43 and since my early 30’s I noticed a much sharper increase in my sleep needs. I have always chalked it up to depression until I was diagnosed with adhd at age 37. When I started adderall I felt like it made such a difference in my “fatigue” that I started wondering if my diagnosis are backwards… like is my sleepiness actually causing adhd and depression rather than the other way around!?

I do not fall asleep randomly during a party or a movie like those I know with lack of quality sleep like sleep apnea issues. Rather I get extremely sleepy when stressed by daily life. Key word “daily”. Often people with adhd will describe a sort of paralysis of productivity when they are overwhelmed. A procrastination overdrive that just prevents one from getting going… and mine is much like this except that….the overwhelm turns a switch on in me that makes me incredibly sleepy and all I want to do is sleep. The more I have to do the sleepier I feel. Notice I say the more I HAVE to do, not the more I DO. Doing a lot will make me physically exhausted and yes that can make me feel sleepy in a way.. but usually that just needs more rest not sleep!

I have often joked that I have a “talent” for sleep. I fall asleep well if I don’t get too distracted by a rabbit whole topic or TikTok or a game…. those can keep me up for sure. But once I decide I’m going to sleep I sleep ok. I think I sleep pretty lightly on average because even though I’ve lost a lot of hearing I wake up to noises such as our cat at the door or one of my kids quietly getting up for a midnight snack or bathroom break. If I’m allowed (“like weekends and vacations) I can easily sleep 12 hours. In a non interrupted room without lights or much sound, Probly even more. At times when I’ve allowed myself to sleep as much as I want I DO actually feel more alert and less foggy and just quicker thinking after a few days of excessive sleep.

I don’t think it’s the same as when someone with sleep apnea gets poor sleep though…because they fall asleep so randomly easy when there’s still things going on around them…yet have no problem with waking at normal hours in the morning. I don’t know! It just feels different to those I know with chronically poor sleep. I don’t randomly fall asleep during a movie. Or a party or just any time I sit down. Yes maybe during church or a math class… but not other things like driving…. It’s more…. Just overwhelming urge to go take a nap when I feel stress. And ability to sleep (true sleep not laying in bed) for many many hours more than other people.

The other thing is I see this same pattern in my son. It’s way more than adolescent sleep needs. And he seems drunk all the time due to sleep inertia just never really leaving him til he gets his methylphenidate (it’s like Ritalin for adhd) or some kind of physical rush like being excited about a sport or something physically getting him going that wakes him up.

Stimulants help a ton with this problem. But I have been wondering if they are in a way making the problem actually worse! Because the strength I need to get me to normal also is way to much for my nervous system. The side effects of my already way overreactive nervous system worry me. I grind my teeth I sometimes jitter, my raynauds and tingling in face limbs etc get way more strong and frequent. Worried it might even be effecting my worsening hearing loss.

Anyway… if this sounds familiar or way off base I’d love to know if I’m on the right track with this hypersomnia thing or if I’m totally barking up the wrong tree.

Is there a way to tell if these insanely high scores are without watching a video to get different blocks? Or is there no way to tell if it’s a cheat score? Or is that not considered cheating? I was bragging to my teen that I had almost 200k and he said @that’s so easy”…I secretly don’t believe him that he’s not watching vids to continue play but I wanna believe he’s that good. 😂 I just thought I was doing pretty amazing, but kinda bummed now. 😅🤷🏼‍♀️ I only want to know for my own sanity.

So… I am not sure if what I’m experiencing is ASMR, but when I listen through the Bluetooth on my phone I very often get kind of a tickle. I don’t mean the vibration of the aids like you might get if they are too loose fitting. But like… I just kind of tense up like I would if someone was behind me blowing on my neck. I don’t know that it’s fully asmr because I wouldn’t describe it as relaxing. And it’s not like a static or a pins and needles either. (Although sometimes a rush of parenthesis accompanies it its is fleeting and flows through fast like a chill) Just feels ticklish and might give me occasionally chills or shudders. It’s definitely connected to more ASMR type sounds! High frequency airy clicky stuff.

When I hear similar sounds in real life through my aids they can be annoying but in a painful way not at all a ticklish way. (And much much less so now that I’ve been wearing for a few years) but this other feeling with the Bluetooth I have not gotten used to. Maybe cause I avoid using the Bluetooth to listen as it makes me squirm.

Anyone else relate? Also is it even asmr? Or something else entirely?

Do any of yall have simultaneous symptoms of both hypermobility and fibromatosis? I think I might have both but it’s odd cause they are contradictory… dupuytrens is when collagen type 3 is overproduced and your body creates a bunch of stuff scar tissue in the connective tissue making your hand curl in like a claw. The literal opposite of the flexy fingers in hypermobility. But I tend to get many symptoms of hypermobility in my pelvis and neck and knees etc. I don’t pass the Brighton score for hEDS… especially not with these stiff fingers.. does anyone have both? Is it even possible to have both?

I get very frequent frisson and emotional type chills. My reaction to asmr sounds is closer to a dramatic frisson than the normally described gentle relaxing and sustained tingling. Something I also get the feeling from disgust or shock of something sinister (like true crime). I get less dramatic rushes of tingles through my thighs for just about any emotional connection or reaction or a mental “aha” moment.

I get this multiple times a day. Like very frequently. I always have and thought it was normal but learned it’s not… and I can’t help but wonder if it is related to a deregulated or over-reactive nervous system. I am not officially diagnosed with dysautonomia. But I have wondered for other reasons if I might have issues with my nervous system and blood flow regulation. I have a really hard time with temperature regulation. It’s more that my body OVER-reacts to temp changes than that it under reacts. Raynauds in the cold, swollen limbs in the heat. And I can’t help but wonder if the frisson thing is related to the same underlying issues?

TBH I don’t know for sure if this is a dysautonomia thing or if it is something else entirely. But I just know my body over-reacts to things.

I get the tingles to ASMR type sounds and stimuli, Especially if the sound is coming from behind me. But the way ASMR is described or defined says that the tingles are gentle, more sustained and relaxing. Mine are a quick rush that often makes my eardrums rumble. More like chills. A quick rush or shiver/tingle….. Which is how frisson is described!

I get what I THINK is a more gentle “frisson” in my front thighs quite frequently (many times a day) to emotional or just interesting stimuli. People often call it “musical chills” but I get it for much more than music…if watching some cool science explanation, viewing beautiful art or nature, connecting with a character in a movie or just the “aha moment” of basically anything. I definitely get this thigh version more when sitting in bed or on the couch but this is also where I consume media so I don’t know if that is positional or not. Sometimes I can’t identify a trigger tbh.

But I get the more dramatic head/neck/spine chills sometimes with very emotional stimuli and music and even shocking revelations or feelings of disgust…but also to ASMR sounds! So… I guess I’m wondering if there’s a real technical difference? Is it defined by the trigger, or by the nature of the feeling? Or if this is too abnormal… do I maybe need to seek medical advice? 😅🤷🏼‍♀️ (half joke half serious…cause I DO think my nervous system or vascular regulation is a maybe a bit messed up at least with body temp regulation)

I get the tingles to asmr type sounds and stimuli. Especially if the sound is coming from BEHIND me. But the way asmr is described or defined says that the tingles are gentle, more sustained and relaxing. Mine are a quick rush that may even make my eardrums kind of shake. More like chills. Which is how frisson is described.

I get what I think is a more gentle “frisson” in my front thighs quite frequently to emotional or just interesting stimuli. People often call it “musical chills” but I get it for much more than music…if watching some cool science explanation, viewing beautiful art or nature, connecting with a character in a movie or just the “aha moment” of literally anything. I get the more dramatic head/neck/spine chills sometimes with very emotional stimuli but also to asmr sounds! So…. Am I not experiencing asmr? It is quick, dramatic, and tickles. Makes me kind of shiver or shake it off.

I’m 42…I want/need to get a full-time career job. I only taught HS one year after college before quitting to do part-time work-from-home / flexible side jobs while my kids were young.

I would love to get back into teaching full time (I think?🤷🏼‍♀️) but I have an issue with hearing loss. I do wear hearing aids and for everyday life, I am totally fine hearing and understanding most people in most situations. I’ve been subbing the past year and it has become clear to me that the classroom presents much more challenges in this regard than everyday life does. I also have worried about the political climate and pressure on teachers to be perfectly scripted and never accidentally say the wrong thing without becoming a local news headline.

I have considered seeking another career due to these reasons…but after looking into it for the past year…I don’t believe I can even FIND something that PAYS as well as teaching (the irony🙃) without getting another degree! Not to mention many jobs have similar challenges to someone with hearing loss. I have done many low paying side gig type jobs…I sell crafts, I play music gigs, last summer I drove a bobcat scooping stinky compost all day… but I need a steady full-time real career with benefits and living wage. The things I have found in my area that seem more “career” sounding have still been about $15/hr without benefits and maybe go up to like $25/hr with many years of experience. (And despite applying I still haven’t even gotten an interview 😕).

I’m currently working as a sub, it’s about $100/day. And because of our unique area being by 2 universities in a conservative religious community, teaching and subbing is actually pretty competitive. It’s often hard to even snag a sub job before they are taken within seconds, and if I didn’t have any people specifically requesting me I’d Probly only be working 1-2 days a week. Teaching in my local district starts at about $60,000. That would be a miracle to me to have right now. I haven’t even seen a job in my area of certification come up locally all year though (secondary FACS) I don’t know what to do…😣

Are caption glasses a practical solution? Is there other alternatives that might be more practical for my situation as a teacher?

More details on my specific situation:

I want to get back into teaching full time👩🏼‍🏫. (secondary FACS) I only taught HS one year after college before quitting to do part-time work-from-home-mom lifestyle while my kids were young. My hearing was bad back then and was a bit of a struggle but not as bad as now. I’ve been subbing this past year and have seen that in many classroom situations my hearing presents a significant challenge. Ironically it is especially bad when it’s QUIET. 🤐The kids are all working silently and one kid will need help but talks so softly. They never want to speak up loud enough due to the whole class hearing. 😅🤦🏼‍♀️ Secondly, announcements and phone calls from the office are near impossible for me. 🙉I have to ask the kids to repeat what was announced and often hand a random student the phone….which ISN’T ideal. 😆🤷🏼‍♀️ It can also be pretty ridiculous during a lecture when having discussions. I sometimes miss-hear and the kids will all snicker at the misunderstanding or at me asking them 5 times to repeat. 😳😬

My loss is steep ski slope pattern (normal lows, profound highs). I DO wear my hearing aids… and for everyday life I am fine hearing and understanding most people in most situations. But the classroom does present much more challenges for me than everyday life. I have considered seeking another career due to it…but after looking into it for the past year…I don’t believe I can FIND something that PAYS as well (the irony🙃) without getting another degree! And I do love teaching… and so many other jobs have similar challenges😣.