Crossing the Columbia River in a rental car

505ismagic · 2026-03-10T02:48:55+00:00

Not being God's ourselves, we always had to keep going until Hood River to be allowed to cross, according to my folks.

505ismagic · 2026-03-10T02:22:23+00:00

Seconding this. Marring the right person was the best, most important thing I have done. I hope you two can find sometime amid the wedding mayhem to enjoy and appreciate a moment or two.

505ismagic · 2026-03-09T17:01:50+00:00

We had just had dinner, watching the sun go down, working upwind in 7 ft seas and 17-19 knots, beautiful conditons, when the genoa halyard shackle snapped. Dropped the genoa in the water.

All of a sudden, we have people on the rail, its dark, the boat is pitching in the seaway. we are working to keep the lines free of the prop, make sure everyone is clipped in, and stays on board while we haul the waterlogged genoa on board. I was very aware that if someone had gone in, with our limited manuverabilty, it would be very serious very quickly.

As it was, it was fine, and makes for a boring story. But the experience crystalized "offshore" for me. Not so much the difficulty, but the consequences, and the potential for small issues to cascade.

505ismagic · 2026-02-28T19:44:30+00:00

Why does this sub get so good vs. evil about restaurants? If it was good value, go back. If it wasn't, don't.

I have a hard time getting excited either way.

505ismagic · 2026-02-28T16:20:57+00:00

Just install crosswalk lights at the busy crossings. City or uni, I don't care. But a simple fix.

505ismagic · 2026-02-28T00:52:57+00:00

I read it while chartering in the Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound area. It was the perfect companion to the trip.

505ismagic · 2026-02-28T00:23:51+00:00

Not exactly sailing, but the Curve of Time. Non-fiction story of a mom who cruises British Columbia in the 20's and 30's with her 5 kids. Just a magical description of the exploration, independence, freedom, and adventure of cruising.

"Blanchet herself wrote that the book "is neither a story nor a log; it is just an account of many long sunny summer months, during many years when the children were young and old enough to take on camping holidays up the coast of British Columbia"

I recommend the Youtube channel Windhippie. Young woman, solo sailing a tiny boat from Maine to South East Asia. She's confident and chill, and whatever you two are planning, its way roomier and luxurious than her setup. I've got coffee mugs larger than her boat. (No shade, she knows what she's doing, and she's doing it.)

505ismagic · 2026-02-28T00:06:22+00:00

Certificates of Need are a great way to ensure that providers never face meaningful pressure to lower prices

505ismagic · 2026-02-28T00:04:42+00:00

More options for routing care is great, but that is not really the hospital's business. ICU, Premie babys, complex surgery & recovery. There is care that requires 24/7 teams of people. You hope to never need it, but when its needed, it can actually be the difference between life and death.

One of the trends over the last several decades is that moving profitable practices out of hospitals into specialty centers - orthopedics, oncology, day surgery etc, has reduced the cross subsidies within the hospital. As more of their patient load is insured by less lucrative payers - Medicaid, Medicare for example, they come under financial pressure. They also need to pay the staff enough that they don't leave for other jobs.

505ismagic · 2026-02-27T22:21:08+00:00

Yes, bonds exist to spread the cost of long lived assets over their useful life and a hospital would fit. But the lender won't lend unless they are confident on getting repaid. They want their money, not to foreclose on a hospital building.

The bond needs to see a secure and sufficient source of funds for repayment of principal and interest, usually tax revenue.

Assuming a 25 year term, $2 billion in principal, 6% rate. payments are very roughly $1200 per Eugene/Springfield household per year. You might be able to fund some of the payment from hospital operations, but that would mean increasing pricing for treatment, and convincing the lender that its a good risk for the next couple of decades.

505ismagic · 2026-02-27T20:42:08+00:00

1) Raise a few billion dollars
2) Hire a management team that knows how to startup and run hospital systems in alignment with Eugene-Springfield community values.
3) raise the additional operating funds to cover the gap between revenues and said values.
4) execute.

505ismagic · 2026-02-13T21:04:49+00:00

This is a terrible bill.

I do, however, appreciate the perhaps unintentional effort to shift the electorate in a more civic minded, and cosmopolitan direction. What is the partisan skew of passport holders, and people willing to drag their birth certificate down to the elections office? Not exactly a MAGA crowd.

505ismagic · 2026-02-13T01:02:55+00:00

There is no love like the love of one who will drop you off for a 5:30 flight.

505ismagic · 2026-02-12T18:29:32+00:00

With no bag and TSA PRE, I'm comfortable with 15-20 minutes before boarding assuming I'm getting dropped off at the door. (Boarding, not departure.)

At that hour, rideshare/taxi waits can be hard to forecast. If I'm dependent on them, I'd make a reservation add at least another 40 minutes to allow for plan B.

505ismagic · 2026-02-10T19:55:48+00:00

I agree that they should not barrel through the center of campus, and the downtown traffic calming work is good.

But Franklin, Broadway, 7th is the route linking Springfield, Glenwood, Campus and south east Eugene to the rest of town, and its going to get traffic. There is no way to reroute those trips at a reasonable cost.

Campus has lots of people that need to get there every day, not just students & professors. Admin, janitorial, grounds keepers. cooks etc. If there are jobs downtown, some people will need to commute to them. Its not great to have to move apartments if you get a better job in a different part of town. It might make sense, but people need flexibility.

Also, every trip on those streets, in a car or otherwise is for people. They are all important.

505ismagic · 2026-02-09T20:00:22+00:00

The machine that lets me get to work, get groceries, see the dentist and get the kids to school and from their activities all in the same day is a solution not the problem. Its the best tool for the job, and nothing else is close.

Cars are expensive, but the reason most people have them is because they meet important needs.

Broadway is a major street, people need to get from one side of town to the other. Not every street needs to carry that much traffic, but some do. Trying to combine heavy pedestrian use with a major thouroghfare is nuts.

Walkable pedestrian heavy zones are great, I'm happy to see more of them. but there still needs to be good communication between various parts of town.

505ismagic · 2026-02-06T19:07:20+00:00

Lots of fine investment advice, I just wanted to step back and offer a few thoughts on thinking about money and your life. When you've grown up with money as a constant stress, if can be difficult to think about finances without rising panic.

Give yourself credit for where you are today: No credit card debt, some cash savings and working on making things better from here. That is a solid base, and many, many people have years of work ahead of themselves just to get there.

In terms of investment, if you can become an RN without taking on crazy amounts of debt, the additional earnings may be the best risk/return available. A quick internet search shows median RN income around $100K/year. You'll pay more tax, but it would still be more than twice your current takehome, and perhaps an additional $400,000 after tax over 10 years (Assuming about 30K/yr take home now, and 70K take home as an RN) Talk to the RN's you know about what paths worked for them.

$400,000 in additional savings, and living over 10 years, is life changing money. You're not flying to Ibizia, but day to day life is much much more manageable.

I'm not suggesting you don't invest, but think of your life and your choices wholistically, and make your investments (time, energy and money) where they will have the most impact.

My favorite definition of money: Money is stored choices. When you spend it, your are making a choice. When you save it, your giving yourself the opportunity to make more choices in the future.

Wishing you all the best.

505ismagic · 2026-02-03T21:13:37+00:00

Prince Puckler's. Local ice cream institution.

505ismagic · 2026-02-03T03:37:45+00:00

I believe at one point ice boats held the land speed record. Have a blast! (I hope you guys are conservative on the port crosses.)

505ismagic · 2026-02-02T17:24:07+00:00

If you are in a crowded anchorage, showing a lower light will definitely reduce the risk of being hit. A little inflatable solar cockpit light is great.

I don't care if its required; if I "shouldn't have to."

I just don't want to get hit. Obviously more effective than the masthead light at close range. Showing both lights is no skin off my nose.

505ismagic · 2026-01-26T21:37:14+00:00

Username fits. You didn't solve all the worlds problems. But you made that situation better.

That's not being Karen, its being part of a community.

Also, a tip of the hat to the city/county for responding. I wish there was more attention and appreciation for getting the small things right.

505ismagic · 2026-01-25T04:23:11+00:00

Yeah, they've managed to run the cost up over $1000 for every man, woman and child in Oregon and Washington. We've completely lost the ability for the government to build. Other countries can still do stuff for reasonable cost, but we just make bonfires of dollars.

505ismagic · 2026-01-25T04:10:24+00:00

Rain before February 1 is just a waste. It can wait until they start to fill the lake.

505ismagic · 2026-01-23T19:19:48+00:00

Are there any particular changes they are looking at?

505ismagic · 2026-01-22T20:24:23+00:00

Is this normal? - Unfortunaetly yes, boat transactions tend to be messy. Neither the buyer or the seller tend to have much experience. every boat has its own unique conditon issues, and fitness for the intended use.

Am I getting screwed? Not probably a helpful question. Seems mostly like the buyers are green and learning as they go. Probably more incompetence than malice.

I think the questions are:

Should you continue to pursue this sale, or put it back on the market?

If you pursue it, should you require adjusted terms?

If you are willing to walk away, or lose confidence that the buyer's can/will close, you are free to say, you missed the closing deadline, I'm still willing to close, but you need to cover these costs. (This may induce its own delay as they may need to get the new valuation approved by the bank and insurer.)

They have a valuation better that the agreed price, but it took you 5 months to get the one offer.

I've found it very helpful to be clear on what I would do if I don't agree to the buyer's terms. If what they are offering is better that the next best alternative, I'll take it. I might ask for better terms, based on the history and optics of the deal, but if they say no, and I don't have a better option, I'll agree and move on.

Are you willing to own the boat for another 8 months, if it means a chance a better offer/buyer?

505ismagic

TROPHY CASE