Another quick update—those personal certificates still haven't installed themselves yet, and honestly, I'm a bit stumped on how to get the ball rolling...
I finally managed to print out that email containing all those links for the drivers and software downloads (since he doesn't even realize there's an email waiting for him)
And now, it looks like my Wi-Fi is acting up again—or something similar.
The link provided in the email, , keeps throwing a "not found" error at me.
That link was supposed to let me download some sort of installation package.
So, I'm essentially back at square one; I can't decrypt the PIN. If anyone could lend a hand, I really need to have this sorted by Monday. 😳
Whenever I try to decrypt the PIN, I get a message saying "crypto device support is not ready."
I'm stuck wondering if I should keep fighting with this current setup, or if I'm simply missing that installation file.
I don't actually have any user certificates—the ones listed under "personal"—installed on my computer. I was looking at how they're supposed to be set up according to the IRS website instructions:
"Installing user certificates on your computer Follow the procedure described for the software component you use for your smart card reader, YubiKey, or similar device. The following instructions apply to Gold Card, Active Client, SafeNet Authentication Client, or eToken PKI Client: "
The thing is, I skipped that whole section of the manual because I don't have any of those specific applications installed...
Also, just in case it matters—when I plug in the USB stick I was issued, it glows green for about ten seconds before switching to red. I'm not entirely sure if that's normal behavior.
So, if I'm reading this correctly (and IF my interpretation of this forum is actually right), it looks like that web app just went live—which most people probably aren't even using yet—meaning we don't have to bother installing that Goldman Sachs software anymore, right?
I’m completely stuck on this "certificate not selected" error—it’s all I get. I don't have any extra software installed, and honestly, I’m not even sure if I actually need it. I’ve been banging my head against the wall for hours now, which is especially frustrating since I’m basically doing this pro bono for someone else.
All I’m trying to do is file some sales tax paperwork through the IRS portal. Does anyone have any advice??
(For what it's worth, I know my way around a computer. I’ve tried every supported browser, installed the root certificate, my Windows 7 OS smartcard reader is set up perfectly, I'm running the latest Java version, and so on and so forth) I can't find any decent instructions online either (I've memorized the entire IRS FAQ site at this point), but I keep reading here that you don't even need special apps. I never received a disk or a thumb drive with software, and I don't see a download link anywhere)
And here’s the real mystery: once before, when I was on the IRS website, it gave me two options: 1) launch the application or 2) install the application.
After waiting forever, I have no idea what actually happened—nothing showed up in my program list.
electricharbor30 said:I’m actually planning on heading in there in the next few days, specifically because of all this. It just feels kind of pathetic, though, you know? Like, Risperdal doesn't make you gain weight or turn into a total zombie like these other drugs do. And honestly, I have no clue what they're even going to prescribe me for the histrionics and these panic attacks. I’ll probably end up popping a handful of pills every single day. I really don't want to be a burden on my parents, so I need to look into getting disability benefits, and $167 having that monthly check coming in would mean everything to me—if they even pay out enough to cover the basics. I worked my ass off while I was younger, doing everything I could. Now, I guess I'm just looking at spending the rest of my life being a complete loser.
Maybe you could try finding some freelance work or something where you're your own boss—even if it's just under the table.
I’m certainly no expert here—far from it—but if you've seen five different psychiatrists only to have them shuffle your meds around without much luck, maybe it's worth seeking out a sixth opinion just to see if things can improve. You mentioned earlier that you were avoiding the doctor because you were worried about losing your job, but since you're already out of work now... 🙂
Even if you do have that, it’s likely some low-tier assistance—the kind that keeps you from being able to hold down a real job while you're receiving it. Honestly, I'd suggest focusing on getting yourself squared away first and then jumping back into the job hunt.
Larry Lewis said:Well, I deal with more obsessive thoughts than anything else—they aren't even "thoughts" per se, they're just these intense, repetitive fixations on things I can't even quite name. It makes life incredibly difficult, to the point where holding a simple conversation feels like an uphill battle. I've learned how to function around them somehow, but man, I would give anything to just be rid of them. They haven't gone away, and honestly, they make me miserable most days. I try so hard to focus on anything else just to drown them out—and sometimes it works—but then I eventually hit a breaking point from all that mental strain, and they come crashing back even harder. By the way, there’s a history of intrusive thoughts in my family tree.
At this point, I'm just fighting to stay afloat because no therapy seems to have actually cured me. I was wondering if anyone here has dealt with this and managed to find relief through medication or some other way.
I suspect what you're experiencing might not be directly tied to the diagnosis itself, but let's face it—illness has a way of magnifying our existing traits, usually the ones we'd rather hide, so anything is technically possible.
As far as I know, have you tried simply ignoring them, or at least paying them less attention?
The more you fight them, the more energy and attention you end up giving them... It's the same thing with emotions. There is a very blurry line between a thought and a feeling—for example, you feel fear, and simultaneously, certain thoughts arise because of that fear, or vice versa. I know that's not strictly what defines "intrusive thoughts," but I'm just pointing out how thin that line is.
copperhound99 said:So I’m doing a little deep dive online and stumbled onto this wild theory.
Some psychoanalyst was talking about "ideas of reference"—basically when someone feels like everything they hear or see is somehow tied back to them personally, like there's this hidden meaning meant just for them...😁
But honestly, it makes me wonder—is there anyone out there who *doesn't* connect what they read or see on the news back to their own life? If I'm not comparing information to my own experiences or the people around me, what am I even supposed to do with it?😁
Like, I'll be watching the weather report, see that rain is coming, and naturally, I start thinking about how it’s gonna mess up my plans or what I'll end up doing if I can't get out...
Is that actually what they mean, or am I totally misreading this? Are we all just a little bit schizoid at heart?😁
My grandmother used to occasionally think that the person speaking on the radio or the news was talking directly to her—specifically her.😁
It’s the same story for anyone who sets the bar way too high for themselves.
Anyway—I have a friend dealing with delusions, intrusive thoughts, and constant auditory hallucinations, yet he refuses to take any medication at all.
When we first met, I didn't even realize he was struggling with anything specific; I just thought he was a bit "off"—I knew he'd been hospitalized once, but I figured it was probably just some drug-related issue or something along those lines. But since I've started hanging out with him more lately, it seems like things might actually be getting worse, though I can't say for sure. Sometimes he mumbles to himself as if he's talking to these voices—he's convinced they're sending him thoughts via satellite or using mind control. When I try to joke about it to lighten the mood, he refers to that specific voice as a "bitch." 😁 He kind of plays along with the humor, but not entirely. I don't know him deeply enough to understand why he won't take his meds, and it looks like he isn't even seeing a psychiatrist anymore. I tried explaining to him that there's no satellite involved—just his own thoughts, which, honestly, we all have to some degree. 😳 The thing is—Stoss—he functions somewhat normally (well, "normally" is a stretch, but he gets by), but he says it becomes overwhelming when he's doing mundane things, like waiting in line at Chase Bank or something. Which, understandably, makes sense. Being a bit of a paranoid person myself, I'm mostly just worried that things will spiral for him. Who knows what his "satellite" might send my way next? 😁
Ultimately, if he could just pay attention to those voices less—if he could ignore that one voice simply by tuning it out—I know it would diminish, but I suppose that's easier said than done.
This friend lives with his mother, and from what I gather, he hasn't had any major outbursts in quite a while. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
As for me, I feel like I've touched upon almost every diagnosis I can think of, just in passing. 😁 The only time it really hit me hard was about two years ago, when depression pinned me to my bed for a good month or two—maybe longer, I can't quite recall—after I lost a significant amount of money and felt like I'd lost all hope for moving forward... 😳 That was the only time it felt truly intense. Everything else I read about people experiencing, I feel like I've dealt with too, just much more mildly. Those shifts in mood—one day feeling totally high on life, then a few days later sliding into a mild depression and total lethargy—it doesn't bother me too much. The hardest part is just finding the motivation to do anything. A doctor would probably have prescribed me something back then (especially during that depressive episode), but I'm no expert. I personally believe you have to live through and experience depression to get past it—not that I'm saying medication isn't necessary for everyone, because I get that many people need it... but then again, some people just struggle regardless. I have a neighbor who gets incredibly agitated whenever his supply of Xanax starts running low 😳—honestly, I can be just as high-strung sometimes, but I'm not going to start popping pills for my nerves. I know things would improve if I just made some lifestyle changes—drinking less coffee, spending more time outdoors, maybe getting better sleep, and handling some other private matters.
There is just one thing I can't wrap my head around. Every single time my OS crashes—whether it’s a Blue Screen of Death, a sudden power outage, or whatever else—all my conditional formatting seems to vanish when I relaunch Excel, as if they were never there to begin with.
The strange part is that they work perfectly fine under normal conditions. It’s been a real headache for me. Even though I use some automated backup software to help out, those conditional formats still seem to slip through the cracks every now and then.
I think I finally cracked it—here’s the formula that actually works for me: =DATE(MID(A2;SEARCH("/";A2;4)+1;4);LEFT(A2;SEARCH("/";A2;1)-1);MID(A2;SEARCH("/";A2;1)+1;SEARCH("/";A2;4)-SEARCH("/";A2;1)-1))
Though, looking back at it, I might have messed up a formatting setting somewhere along the line.
If anyone could lend me a hand with this, I’d really appreciate it. I feel like I've exhausted every possible angle here, yet I still can't seem to nail down the "winning combination."
I'm also a bit stumped regarding how the cell containing my formula should actually be formatted.
To make matters worse, TechCrunch actually messed up—they didn't use the standard month/day/year format, they used day/month/year instead...
Man, I just can't wrap my head around this without losing my mind,
Well, I guess simplicity is the name of the game—haha. Since we're always dealing with the current year, I’m just going to hardcode "2024" into the first part of the formula and call it a day. It’s a total hack, but it'll get the job done.
And when 2025 rolls around, I'll just swap it out for 2025.
Thanks again for the help.
....
Still not working, though—maybe it's a formatting issue or something, who knows.