brownboy

Thank for sharing this perspective! I certain don't want to ever think I have all the answers much less am running the universe!

yeah I'm definitely going to wait for some real experiences of people like us taking it

I wish everyone the best that is struggling with this. I was going to share my story but I'm not ready and I haven't been able to stop anyway. I believe there are many paths to sobriety. I am an engineer (BSEE from UT long ago) and basically an atheist so some of the popular approaches don't resonate well with me. The Naked Mind community and book of the same name really changed my perspective on alcohol and counters a lot of the positive messaging there is about alcohol: https://thisnakedmind.com/ (no affiliation) I'm hoping my next pause will be permanent. I've loved this drinking town for decades but I need to find other ways to love it.

Went for the first time 2 months ago after getting off a transatlantic cruise (I'm old but this was my first cruise) Renting an e-bike is a great way to see the city. I did a guided tour via https://barcelonaciclotour.com/en/ which was great especially cruising easily up Mount Juic. Met a young lady from Hamburg (no pics, didn't score but dreaming of the future). I'm not a foodie and don't care about expensive restaurants but the average restaurant away from Las Ramblas is great and I ate several times at the big mercats. The middle eastern quarter had good food too. Short Catarmaran tour on https://barcelona-orsom.com/ was decent and less crowded than Las Golondrinas Amazing architecture obviously and I'm just mentioning things that others didn't say as much about. Get your tickets for Sagrada Familia now. If you're looking to use Chase points, Midtown apartments was nice and good for families (I was solo). Pool was closed for winter but rooftop was still decent. Great location. The Banksy exhibit had mostly recreations but was much better than I expected. BierCaB is great and if you check in there on Untapped you'll see your name on the beer menu screen. Am sure mom would be proud. CocoVail beer hall had a hot bartender. Next time I'd like to take a train to Ocata or something. Looking forward to returning. I appreciate the surly perspectives on travel. Some of the best content here. I'm just a solo drunk looking for fun bars.

I'm ambivalent about what that water ferry from Mexico will do to Ambergris Caye since I'm thinking a trip starting in the Cancun area, spending the night at a few stops wherever the train goes, and then ending in Caye Caulker (have stayed on Ambergris enough times). I presume immigration/customs will be smooth between Mexico and Belize.

Went 13 years ago and loved it. Stayed in Lasuanne and Lucern most of the time with a short stint in Zurich on the way home and did the golden pass train. Went to a bone bar and also found a Lone Star beer sign in a random bar. Rode a small train out in the country side where toilet just had a hole that went straight down to the tracks. And saw Shaggy Bevo. Europeans think Switzerland is boring. They're wrong.

Sucks that AA dropped the non-stop flight from Austin to Liberia last month. Took that down there a few times the last 2 years. Of course you can still get to LIR with a connection.

Nothing particular special about my TX/ou tickets from the 2000s but they give me joy (despite some beatdowns) Digital tickets are not the same

<csb> good recs in this thread though I'm no foodie. flew Austin to Lyon 5 years ago on Aeroflot in business class through Moscow one-way for $2200. annoying how hard it is to find decently priced one-way tickets from here to Europe in J but had no idea at the time it'd be my last time flying a Russian airline. had a great time seeing friends living in Grenoble </csb> the stairs at Montmartre suck but I love that there are random dudes selling beers unless I'm misremembering other huge sets of stairs in Paris. F TABC to add something of use to this thread Hotel Du Jeu De Paume in Paris was in a great location a very short walk from Notre Dame on the other little island on the Seine. I'm also uncultured and had some beers at Galway Irish Pub

Let's talk a break from Aggy beer to discuss Aggy wine. This Nacogdoches winery educated me about how Aggy be smart. Bonus points for being a Texas Aggy. "Texas Aggie (sic) horticulturist John Mortensen knew what he was doing..." Well adjusted people don't talk like they this. They let their accomplishments stand on their own or be praised by others. Only insecure Aggy would say it like this.

Stupid sip Washington lost because they didn't think Texas should be there and they sacrificed themselves so everyone else would get the message about the BOMC sips.

Isn't the OT Special at Dirty's and not Hill-bert's? Both are great places but then again I'm no Meat Pimp

And it may not have even been during Wise County Old Settler's Reunion. The goal is drinking until sunrise when the boy scouts clean up the parking lot. But I had no trouble there.

That's what I would expect. She thinks that an $850k house is going to give her a $22k property tax bill based on a neighborhood she looked it. This doesn't make sense and I'll try to find the specific house. Thanks for the response.

I really appreciate y'alls thoughts on this and am unlikely to do it based on the responses. A few minor details. She's considered downsizing but says since her taxes at the new place will be based on today's valuation and she claims she'll be paying $22k/year in taxes at the places she's looking at that she can buy for cash. Obviously she needs to downsize further. Note that Travis county says they'll help you keep your tax savings as a senior if you move and that they charge 5% instead of 8%. Expecting tax laws to remain the same for a decade or more is definitely risky. Today's politicians talk about property tax relief but that can change though I wouldn't think they'd go after seniors since they vote. Only screwing with veterans is worse. I like the idea of the kids paying the taxes now and it's in their interest since letting it accrue at 8% leaves less to inherit in the future. At least I got her to an estate attorney to make a will a few years ago. Again, I appreciate the great advice.

Not exactly FIRE since my mother is 72 (and no I won't tell her you said hi but I'll have her cook something for those with helpful responses). She is house rich but doesn't have much else. I'm considering paying off her mortgage and then telling her to stop paying her property taxes. I believe in TX if you are over 65 the county can't kick you out of your home until you pass but they levy an 8% interest charge. Her annual property taxes are $15k and mostly frozen. After 10 years of non-payment with interest the amount due would accrue to $250k. Her home is easily worth $1M so subtracting that $250k still leaves $750k for her heirs. She can afford maintenance on the house so I think this is a good way for her to stay in her home. Even if she lives 20 years and owes $787k in back taxes the house is likely to have appreciated and if not I'd rather her use up her equity on herself than leave it to us. What do you pros think? Her mortgage is only at 3.75% but I doubt you can do this while having a mortgage. I don't think a reverse mortgage, home loan, or HELOC would be better alternatives but y'all tell me.

Got nothing on Quadrotriticale. Shouldn't aggy be inventing a grass that squeezes its roots when being walked upon? Downtrodden indeed

am going soon to just F around since JSX flies to Taos and there's not enough to do in Taos for a week. Appreciate the recs here tho I'm not a foodie and will be looking for good beer bars and to do some light hiking. made notes and will go Inn of the Anasaz, Draft Station, Tumbleroot, Second Street. Santa Fe Brewring Tap Room, Desert Dogs, and Rowley's. Not worried about things closing early as I'll do a morning hike, afternoon beers and pass out after dinner

Is Dribbling Dick Dickerson on 1490 stick around?

Please report back when the 40 Acres accepts this as your outline for your master's thesis in their new school of Intellectualism. I'll protest with dildos if they don't let you in

That's similar to the bicycling cruise/tour I did 2 years ago which was incredible. You're gonna love it!! And the women there...

I did this via boat while island hopping and it was incredible. are you doing that or is there an interesting mainland itin? regardless I'm sure you'll be amazed! e-bike is the way to go. I started every day on the lowest click to offset the extra weight from the battery and by the end of the day I was on full auto gliding into glory in my mind

Flew there via Singapore Airlines and the service was stellar but the business class seat wasn't great. The footwell is a little narrow if you don't get bulkhead and the seat has to be manually flipped to become the bed so it doesn't have the in-between modes. Added a free stopover in Singapore for a few days. Came back via AA and the business class seat was awesome and service was adequate. The waitomo glow worm cave was really cool. Wellington is nice town and it's a beautiful ride across the Marlboro Sounds to Picton. There was talk of an AA flight from DFW to Christchurch. I'll look for it if I can get back there and explore the south island.

<csb>met him briefly at lucky lounge back in the day and shook his hand. next time I took a piss I washed up like I was going to do surgery. my mind is turning into his b/c I can't remember the name of the event to lend some credibility to this</csb> read his book when it came out a little later: https://www.amazon.com/Ron-Jeremy-Hardest-Working-Showbiz/dp/0060840838 and you may be surprised he isn't the greatest writer. early 2000s were peak Ron ETA: and don't tell the fuddy dutties that you can check out his book from the austin public library: https://austin.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S67C847852

Clear at the center security checkpoint is still on the opposite side of the Pre lane. Silly but minor. The Global Entry facial recog is pretty nice and is super fast. If we're going to be tracked we might as well get some benefits. If only there was a way to stay inside security if you only have carry on bags. DFW had this briefly.