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The Water Cooler, Scuttlebutt, Chit Chat Thread

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The Water Cooler, Scuttlebutt, Chit Chat Thread

Old 08-25-20, 11:52 AM
  #5101  
kensuf
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Originally Posted by furiousferret
On another note, my wife and I have been contemplating buying property on the Costa Brava, about 10-15 east of Girona and 60 miles north of Barcelona. I'd like to retire outside of the US, and my wife is on board at least doing it part time. Moving to a country where they speak a new language and have a different culture (in addition to having the best cycling in the world, on the coast, great weather, etc.) would be a great experience. Oh, and I'll get to the see the Vuelta and TdF every year. I do miss living by the ocean and its 4x cheaper there than in California, including cheaper medical.


A lot of things still have to go our way for this to happen (I still won't retire for another 10 years minimum), and maybe I'll be enthralled with a new part of the world like Ecuador or Costa Rica.
I spent a month in an apartment that I rented in Barcelona. Awesome place, I completely understand the draw.
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Old 08-25-20, 03:09 PM
  #5102  
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Originally Posted by hubcyclist
I'm hoping this will be part of my future post-work plans, not as sexy as the Spanish coast, but there's that mountain in the background to climb! (the house on the left belongs to my parents and was my maternal grandparents' home)

Maybe in 20 years we can climb that together and then catch an FC Porto match (assuming you're near Porto).

Originally Posted by rubiksoval
Yes. It's phenomenal (and I didn't even have great weather, though the cycling was decent), and I miss it nearly every day. I'd move tomorrow were it not for family ties.

How's the residency situation for Spain? I looked into it once and there was zero chance for me at that point.
I haven't looked deeply into it, but retiring (outside a load of paperwork) isn't an issue. I believe it only becomes a problem when you are competing for work. Once you are bringing in a pension they want you there.

Originally Posted by kensuf
I spent a month in an apartment that I rented in Barcelona. Awesome place, I completely understand the draw.
Barca was awesome, we've traveled around the world and every place I go to I always consider if I could live there. Northern Italy, Thailand, and Catalonia are tops (Central California as well). We'll definitely spend a lot of time there, and hopefully see a lot of FC Barcelona games.

I'd probably add Mexico on the list as well if they can clean up the narco and crime issue there.
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Old 08-25-20, 06:13 PM
  #5103  
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Originally Posted by furiousferret
... I've learned how to design latte art,... First obviously being the most useful...
I'm more espresso and Americano/Long black but I have been thinking about the latte art.
You are welcome to come down (San Clemente) and try...I have 3 espresso machines available for you (well one back Fri, another on the boat and one here). Then do a ride. It will make you feel better.
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Old 08-26-20, 06:36 PM
  #5104  
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I may have to take you up on that someday, after this whole thing ends. I have a crappy Breville. Once that dies I want to get an ECM or Profitec.
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Old 08-27-20, 08:02 PM
  #5105  
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At work I try and look after the guys. I feel sort of protective of them, as if they were my kids (and I very well could be their dad, based on ages). I'll go buy a big soda for them to split, or ice cream / popsicles on really hot days, etc. Treats, not necessities. I try to help them out. I've been talking to them about making sure they save some money, and, for the older (mid 20s or older) guys, that they invest any extra money.

So next to where I work they built a new bank. It's a bank spreading into our area, with a new building, so they're having a promotion where if you open an account (checking, with debit card), elect e-statements, and do direct deposit, you get $300. Min to open account, $10.

So I went and did it.

I also told all the guys at work about it. These guys are not very money-wise, buy stupid expensive tools on credit, buy lunch, and always complain about not having money. I told them they should open an account, slip $20 a week into it, and get $300 free.

"Nah, dog, I can't wait that long."
"For free money?"
"Well...."

I even offered to give them the seed money. "Okay, look. I'll give you $20 to open the account. When they deposit the bonus money, you pay me $30. This way you get $270 free, and I make $10."

One guy finally did it today. He opened an account using his own money, figured out how to add a direct deposit account, and is now waiting for his money. He started going around to the other guys telling them they should do it.

I also brought my car in from the rain to put RainX on the windows. "What's that, dog?" "RainX." "What's that for?" "So the water just rolls off your windows if you go over 45." "I have crap wipers." "Doesn't matter, this stuff works even if you don't use wipers." "What?" "Bring in your car, I'll RainX the windows."

When we closed I reminded him he won't need wipers once he hits 45 mph. So what does he do? He accelerates in the parking lot to what I assume was about 45 mph.

At least he'll have $300 in a little while.
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Old 08-28-20, 05:52 AM
  #5106  
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Originally Posted by furiousferret
I may have to take you up on that someday, after this whole thing ends. I have a crappy Breville. Once that dies I want to get an ECM or Profitec.
When what ends?
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Old 08-28-20, 06:48 AM
  #5107  
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CDR, the general public would greatly benefit if our schools taught some basic personal finance skills.

I work in an office. Most people have a college degree, and many have advanced degrees. I recently had to explain to two coworkers - both in their 30s - how credit cards worked. They had not had one, and one wanted to buy a house, but had no credit history. When I explained how they could use credit cards to earn cash back or travel points, their minds were blown. I then had to explain the mortgage process and how interest rates worked.
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Old 08-28-20, 07:01 AM
  #5108  
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P&R, hippie
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Old 08-28-20, 09:44 AM
  #5109  
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My wife has been a great advisor for me on that sort of stuff. Simple stuff like using CC's instead of debit cards and paying them off regularly, or parking my savings in an online account that actually gains interest vs my brick-and-mortar where I only keep a couple grand for if I need cash urgently.

She's also help me strategically invest some of my IRA funds vs having them parked in the cash account and they've grown tremendously. I was already max for employer match. Some employees (also college grads) aren't contributing to their IRA (thus no match) because they "can't afford it" or "haven't gotten around to it ", which is just mind blowing to me.
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Old 08-28-20, 11:12 AM
  #5110  
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Originally Posted by carpediemracing

I also told all the guys at work about it. These guys are not very money-wise, buy stupid expensive tools on credit, buy lunch, and always complain about not having money. I told them they should open an account, slip $20 a week into it, and get $300 free.



When we closed I reminded him he won't need wipers once he hits 45 mph. So what does he do? He accelerates in the parking lot to what I assume was about 45 mph.

At least he'll have $300 in a little while.
You're a good dad. All you can do is try.
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Old 08-28-20, 12:18 PM
  #5111  
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Originally Posted by TMonk
My wife has been a great advisor for me on that sort of stuff. Simple stuff like using CC's instead of debit cards and paying them off regularly, or parking my savings in an online account that actually gains interest vs my brick-and-mortar where I only keep a couple grand for if I need cash urgently.

She's also help me strategically invest some of my IRA funds vs having them parked in the cash account and they've grown tremendously. I was already max for employer match. Some employees (also college grads) aren't contributing to their IRA (thus no match) because they "can't afford it" or "haven't gotten around to it ", which is just mind blowing to me.
My employer has decided to stop matching due to Covid-related shortfalls in tuition. I'm hoping that they restart when numbers come back. I know you don't always feel like you have the cash, but it is hard to imagine skipping out on free money.
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Old 08-29-20, 07:32 PM
  #5112  
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Just got home from a two week vacation to the beach. OBX one week then Holden the next. To see the two different families. I've never been happier to be home.

House is still standing, which is good.
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Old 08-30-20, 08:09 PM
  #5113  
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Originally Posted by big john
You're a good dad. All you can do is try.
I realized this is how I think of the guys at work, save one that is 1 year younger than me. I'm older than many of their dads, which is kind of weird (My current thing to say/think is that I have 15 years until retirement and 15 more years before I'm dead.). They're "my" guys, I'm protective of them. I want them to succeed. I want them to be good people.

It's the same way I thought about the racers that did my race series. They were "my" racers. I was protective of them. When one died after crashing at my race, it absolutely crushed me. Someone, I think on Facebook, said that I was upset because one of my racers died. When it became clear that the rider wasn't a teammate, someone asked why he was "my" racer. Another racer said that the way I basically adopted the racers that did my race - they became "my" racers.

If one misbehaved, if they broke some rule, I talked to them. One guy did some wacky stuff in the sprint and immediately after. I pulled aside and told him (like I've told others) that the racing ends after the cool down lap. He could vent or whatever but after that cool down lap the race was over. He was absolutely the most gracious racer after that. I don't think anyone ever said anything like that to him until I did. He raced for probably at least a decade more, and was the model racer. I was, and am, really proud of him, although all I did was talk to him that one day.

If an outsider did something bad...even the riders would tell them how it works. One inexperienced rider crashed while sitting at the back of the field, caught out by gusty conditions and brand new super aero wheels. He threatened to sue me, which I only learned about when another rider told me. That other rider told the aero-wheel-crasher that he cannot sue the promoter, it's just not done. The wheel company (who knew me) gave him a set of wheels. He didn't sue.
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Old 08-31-20, 01:36 PM
  #5114  
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I am older than my last bosses dad, which was weird. One of the other techs is a couple years older than I am and he's still working there. It's not a money thing, he's worried he will get bored if he retires. He's so unhappy there most days, it's a shame he doesn't just hang it up.

But yeah, all the other guys were younger than I am. One joked about how I was road riding before some of them were born.
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Old 08-31-20, 03:02 PM
  #5115  
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Have a bunch of friends that work in the car world and tool companies absolutely prey on them when they start till they wise up. Awful credit lines for tools and chests etc they absolutely don't need.

Gross.

On the note of retirement stuff.... I'm grossly unprepared. I do need to get disability insurance though. I've heard of residents getting denied if they test positive for covid.
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Old 08-31-20, 03:36 PM
  #5116  
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Originally Posted by ridethecliche
Have a bunch of friends that work in the car world and tool companies absolutely prey on them when they start till they wise up. Awful credit lines for tools and chests etc they absolutely don't need.

Gross.

On the note of retirement stuff.... I'm grossly unprepared. I do need to get disability insurance though. I've heard of residents getting denied if they test positive for covid.
I'm close to finally getting term life, but disability is silly expensive. I'm gonna probably take my chances, even though I shouldn't.
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Old 08-31-20, 04:33 PM
  #5117  
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Originally Posted by ridethecliche
Have a bunch of friends that work in the car world and tool companies absolutely prey on them when they start till they wise up. Awful credit lines for tools and chests etc they absolutely don't need..
Depending on what kind of work they do they may need lots of tools. Guys I worked with spent $50k or more easily. One guy who had the most stuff told me he spends 5-6K per year on tools. This is after he has a ton of tools already.
I didn't spend that much but the work I did I only needed a limited number of tools and it doesn't all have to be Snap-On. A lot of the basic stuff can be handled by Craftsman or even Harbor Freight.
I always tried to help the other guys so I could borrow tools when needed. That way I didn't have to buy something and use it once or twice.

There is always a lot of tool box competition. Someone spends $15k for a box (empty) so the next guy spends $18k. Like bicycles except it's not fun.
And yeah, the tool trucks come by every week. On a hot day the truck is air conditioned and they give you candy and calendars and they're friendly (the good ones).
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Old 08-31-20, 07:10 PM
  #5118  
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Eff this. Got one tubeless 38mm mounted and on the bike.....look online, cross is not coming. They cancelled for 2020. I could cry. That was my jam. I hoped to maybe cat up in a full season.

I may start running again and organize a team and friends gravel duathlon challenge. 10k run, metric gravel century, 10k run. That would build some incredible base.
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Old 09-01-20, 10:00 AM
  #5119  
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Originally Posted by big john
One joked about how I was road riding before some of them were born.
At my race I got beat by a newish rider. I asked him how old he was. He was born 2 or 3 years *after* I started promoting the Series. I told him as much. Heh. I think both of us were like "damn, he's old", meaning me.
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Old 09-09-20, 02:12 PM
  #5120  
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This was his first ride as a passenger in the puke test, which he passed. It was dog-fighting as long as the fuel lasted. It will be 2 years before he gets to drive, if he gets to drive his own.

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Old 09-09-20, 03:04 PM
  #5121  
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Well he already grew out the mustache so he has that going for him!
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Old 09-09-20, 03:21 PM
  #5122  
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Originally Posted by Doge
This was his first ride as a passenger in the puke test, which he passed. It was dog-fighting as long as the fuel lasted. It will be 2 years before he gets to drive, if he gets to drive his own.


Awesome.

They carry missiles on training exercises?

On-base photography is allowed?
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Old 09-09-20, 04:18 PM
  #5123  
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Originally Posted by Enthalpic
Awesome.

They carry missiles on training exercises?

On-base photography is allowed?
I thought they shot missiles on training exercises.
I don't know the on-base photo rules, but he is well aware there are rules. I do see lots of pre/post flight pictures of his classmates.
Obviously he didn't take that picture - I assume they knew the rules.
I assume he was not allowed to take photos inside the plane because I asked for one and didn't get it.
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Old 09-09-20, 07:11 PM
  #5124  
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Originally Posted by Enthalpic
Awesome.

They carry missiles on training exercises?

On-base photography is allowed?
Could just be a targeting pod or a dud trainer, not sure.

That plane is so old all our enemies know literally anything there is to know at this point. Nothing classified about that photo I'm sure.
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Old 09-09-20, 10:06 PM
  #5125  
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Originally Posted by Flatballer
Could just be a targeting pod or a dud trainer, not sure.

That plane is so old all our enemies know literally anything there is to know at this point. Nothing classified about that photo I'm sure.
Yeah what is that?
F 5/6?
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