EssentialNPC

joined 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

On the other hand, I very much appreciate knowing which celebrities support an administration that poses a threat to my family. I will not vote for someone based on a celebrity endorsement, but the celebrity may gain or lose my business over it.

I really liked Kid Rock in his early days. The music was catchy, and it had the right mix of redneck, rock, and rap to make this country boy happy. Now I won't listen to him because he chose to openly throw in with politicians who do not care if their policies and rhetoric kill my friends or kids.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

Because it is wrong.

I am not judging sexual practices. I am judging those who choose to betray their partner. Here is the person he is most committed to in this world, the person who expects undying loyalty in exchange for the same in return, and he is seemingly shitting all over that vow.

If you only care about practicality, then consider that one will not care for the people in general if they cannot care for those closer to them. Honesty and compassion mean nothing to this man.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

I wear a Tilley Airflo pretty much any time I am outside.

I need a wide broom to protect my eyes from the sun (early cataracts). I need a hat that is useful for outdoor fun but also looks good around town. I do not want to worry about rain or have a lot of upkeep.

I wash my Tilley in the machine. I get compliments everywhere I go. It works great on the trail, and looks great paired with a sport coat for a country-boy-on-the-town sort of look. I can't recommend that hat enough.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 2 weeks ago

They want my wife and children dead. If they are near my family, they pose an existential threat. I will leave saving the proverbial souls of neo Nazis to others. I am interested in establishing that my family is off limits and dangerous for them to so much as look at.

Would I throw a punch at a confirmed Nazi? Without hesitation.

Some people learn to shed the racism from their heart and become better people. Some will only get so far as keeping quiet because they are afraid. There will always be severely racist people. It is just as important that they feel unequivocally unwelcome as it is to change those who will change.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

You know what? It's been pretty good.

I am recovering well from rotator cuff surgery with much more range of motion at this point than typical. My youngest had a hard start of the week at school but has turned it around. My oldest ran in his first cross country meet - he came in dead last, and though he is extremely disappointed he has no intentions of quitting. He and I grabbed burgers and an appetizer sampler at the local pub to boost his spirits, and it was more like hanging out with a younger friend than with my kid. Tonight is a date night with my wife, which means we will get high and order takeout once the kids are in bed.

We have plenty of hard times, but this is a good week.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I care very much. Please read everything I wrote. The system is broken, and we need to fix it. In the meantime, since we must live within the broken system, it is wise to do a thorough cost/benefit analysis before accepting any job. Not everyone can do that, but some can.

We play pretty conservative baseball when it comes to personal finances. We have a smaller house further from the city than my wife's peers at work. We buy cars that meet our needs, but our wants are frequently compromised in search of the lowest total cost of ownership. We make no major purchases without real research first. Our kids have not been to Disney, but they will hopefully be able to go to the college of their choice without a mountain of debt when the time comes.

We are very lucky, but most people that merch our income are not actually in as stable a place as we are. That stability comes from good decisions.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

That is a good point. We are not paying monthly premiums. Again, over the years we have chosen our employers very carefully. To be clear, we are lucky to have been in the place to do so.

That said, we also did very well when I was a public high school teacher. The pay was awful, but the health insurance we had was better than my wife could get at most corporate jobs at the time. We now use my wife's corporate benefits because my family's needs have placed me as a stay-at-home dad for several years. Once she got in with a company that actually values its employees, we made the decision to stick it out.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (6 children)

I live in the US and was born here. This is true of my wife as well.

I hate to say it because I know how bad many people have it here, but our health care experiences have been excellent. IVF? We paid a few grand by the end of everything, but that's it - most of the cost was one hormone in particular. My cancer that almost killed me? We paid $15 co-pays for doctor appointments and physical therapy appointments, nothing for any treatments (radiation, chemo, surgeries, hydration, etc.), and about $15 co-pays for each prescription medication. My upcoming rotator cuff surgery? I'll pay similar to the cancer. Regular in-home therapy services for our children with special needs? Free.

This was not by accident or dumb luck. My wife and I have always chosen jobs in large part based on benefits in general and health insurance in particular. We may not make as much money on paper as job hoppers and those who chase the highest number on their paychecks. Do you know what we do have? No medical debt. Great parental leave. More vacation time than most. A legal plan that paid to set us up with every estate planning and life management document one could need.

So it's hard. Our system is fucking broken - too many people cannot get the care they need, or they go into debt to get it. It needs to be fixed. That said, I also have friends who just made shitty choices. They actively chose direct income over benefits. They gambled and some of them lost.

We need to fix US healthcare in or much every way. In the meantime? My wife and I choose to play the game by the rules as they are currently written, and we play with intent to win.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I send Independence Day and to tell them it is a documentary. Now they know not to fuck with us.

[–] [email protected] 77 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (10 children)

'Democrats have a plan'

She lost me right there. As a Democrat, I feel confident in stating that we have never had such a thing.

It is a truth so old that Will Rogers was cracking jokes about it 100 years ago.

[–] [email protected] 48 points 4 months ago

Oh, I see your mistake. Those are Samsung fridges. Nothing has a shorter lifespan than a Samsung fridge. Since there are two they will die together to maximize the inconvenience factor, and they thus must be clicked simultaneously. That is the only way a fake Samsung fridge could mimic the frustration caused by a real one.

 

How would you go about selecting a Certified Financial Planner?

My wife and I are financially successful adults, but we need guidance with the next steps, including:

  • Private equity co-investment
  • College savings for children with special needs who may or may not attend university
  • Retirement savings beyond the standard 401k and IRA options
  • The tax ramifications of all of the above

My friends are generally not at this level of planning needs, so those who have worked with a CFP have had only much more basic questions. We have known plenty of financial advisers over the years who just give bad advice or canned advice. I expect our needs will become more complex over the next decade.

How do we find a quality CFP who can help with the above? What is a reasonable price to pay for this help?

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!

 

The Federal Trade Commission narrowly voted Tuesday to ban nearly all noncompetes, employment agreements that typically prevent workers from joining competing businesses or launching ones of their own.

 

We are going to Vegas, and Wifey and I want to wander around like stoned idiots looking at all the pretty lights. You know, like reasonable people.

Is it a big deal to pop a gummy in public in Las Vegas? They make a big deal about no public use, but I'm assuming a gummy won't be a big deal like smoking would be. We do this in other legal places all the time, but I have no idea which activities are and are not clamped down on in Vegas.

While we are at it, can you recommend any fun stoned activities in Las Vegas?

 

Why is it a steak bomb and not a cheesesteak?

  1. It has mushrooms and bell peppers added
  2. I live in New England, not Pennsylvania

This was a great way to use up the last of my leftover prime rib.

 

The prime rib was roasted at 200° F to 123° internal temperature and then reverse seared.

The pommes puree had some of the butter replaced with rendered bacon fat. Then fresh mini mozzarella balls and chives were added.

The carrots are pretty much as described.

My boys declared the potatoes to be the hit of the night, which I get. Dang are they rich!

 

Today I made Berries Belinda - my own adaptation of Heaven on Earth Cake.

It is an angel food cake trifle with sour cream vanilla pudding, pureed strawberry sauce, mixed fresh berries, and Cool Whip. The recipe really needs Cool Whip or a similar whipped topping because whipped cream will not hold up for the 8+ hours this needs for the flavors and textures to marry.

Why is it named Berries Belinda? In return I ask, "Do you know what that's worth?"

 

Yeah, it's a Pillsbury Grands cinnamon roll topped with Ben & Jerry's Churray for Churros ice cream, salted caramel, and whipped cream.

I mean, this stuff is life.

 

This French Onion Mac and cheese is from the New York Times. I used the recipe at the link below with the following changes:

  • Caramelized the onions traditionally, not with their process. Maybe their way works, but I don't trust it. I have never found a shortcut that works for carmelizing onions.
  • Toasted lightly baguette slices before rubbing with garlic.
  • Deglazed the pan with a few glugs of white wine, not 2 Tbsp vinegar.

The dish is exactly as advertised - a supremely decadent macaroni and cheese with a strong caramelized onion flavor. The gruyere is pronounced and only adds to the luxurious taste (and price).

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020547-french-onion-macaroni-and-cheese

 

What modular tool storage system would you recommend?

I have many tools for many different DIY and home improvement projects. My ADHD means I am just awful at maintaining long term organization of those tools. I want to use a system where I can have a box for each discrete activity or tool type. That way I can take out only the boxes I need and then or those tools away immediately when I am done. I don't mean bring them back to the workshop and put them away, but instead have their mobile tool box be the thing that is also used for long term storage.

For example, I might have the following boxes ready to go:

  • Everyday box - screw drivers, allen keys, hammer, rubber mallet, speed square, torpedo level, pencil, sharpie, blue masking tape, etc.
  • Basic electrical - multimeter, insulated tools, electrical tape, assorted common wire nuts, wire stripper, etc.
  • Painting - assorted brushes, rollers, roller covers, and masking tapes as well as a painters multi tool, roller tray, hand held paint bucket, sanding sponges, etc.
  • Drill - cordless drill, drill bits, screw driver bits
  • Driver and rachet - cordless impact driver, impact bits, hand rachet, rachet bits
  • Pocket hole - my various Kregg products
  • More as needed

If I am going to paint a doorway, I can grab the painting box. If the wall needs repair, I can grab the painting and drywall boxes. If I am hanging pictures, I can grab the everyday box and the drill box if I am using screw anchors. This should make cleanup easier, because picking up the job location is also getting things sorted to go back in storage. That second part is my weakness.

What system would you use for this? I feel like a system that includes both wall storage and multiple bin types would be best, but I am open. I want to use the same general storage system for other DIY hobbies as well, so I would rather not break the bank.

If it matters, all of my cordless tools are DeWalt. My electric yard tools, though unlikely to factor in, and Kobalt.

Any and all recommendations are welcome. Alternative thoughts are welcome. How would you approach this?

 

It took longer than I wanted, but my son's room is done! Many thanks to the folks here who shared their thoughts on wall repair and LED strips. This project took longer than I wanted, but every step was done right.

Most people who make geometric mountain walls seem to use boards at 45°, but that would have looked awful with the 36° ceiling slope. Matching the cut angles was much harder this way - lots of math and some jigs on my miter saw - but I like this look more. It feels more like the White Mountains where we vacation as a family

The Pinterest examples my wife sent me for inspiration all out up the boards with construction adhesive. These are put up with 2.5" finishing nails into studs, filled, sanded, and caulked before painting. This feature is permanent, but it can be removed like any trim without tearing down the drywall as well.

I had the notion to hide an LED strip in the upper mountains to create a sunrise effect. The actual lights are much more subtle than it looks in the pictures. I wish I knew how to get better photos of LED setups. Of course he can make the LED strips do rainbow zoomies and other such delightful nonsense because he is 11.

Our goal was to make something that will appeal to him now and as he gets older. I think we hit the nail on the head with that, but we will see in time.

Thank you again to everyone who shared their thoughts as I built this.

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submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

My project is going slowly, but I finished building and painting the feature wall in my son's new bedroom. Now I just need to install and program the LED strip along the top!

My wife got the idea to do a geometric mountain feature wall from Pinterest. I am really happy with this outcome and feel I did a better job than the influencer DIYers who did similar projects that inspired this one. Giving the mountains a 36° slope to match the roof line was a pain in the butt, but the end effect was worth it.

Thanks to everyone here who helps with thoughts on patching wall cracks and LED lighting methods. I'll share photos of the full room once it is complete.

Edit to add: The wall is actually a mildly dark blue-green. Between bad natural light and my phone's camera's limitations, this is the best I can get for now. The mountains are not actually black.

 

I am putting a mountain feature wall in my son's new bedroom.

Starting on the right, I want to run LEDs along the topmost mountains, switch to unlit cord/wire to go around the window, and then run another set of LEDs along the topmost mountain on the left. This should give a nice sunrise effect.

Do you know of an LED kit that can do this?

Thank you!

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