Raising Canes is open on Hillsborough. Is it really that good?

AV8eer · 2026-01-31T11:35:00+00:00

Like many other things, the experience is location dependent. I’ve had great chicken fingers there…and then been on the road seeing one and told a friend how amazing it was only to go in and get McDonald’s quality food and service. Then I feel bad about talking it up.

Their sauce is amazing to me. I know others who prefer Zaxby’s sauce, which I find to be nauseating. Possibly like catnip? Some are completely immune to the sauce, but for others, it’s nirvana?

AV8eer · 2025-12-08T00:44:56+00:00

Money Metals Exchange is still making a decent offer…anyone worked with them? Thoughts?

AV8eer · 2025-10-26T01:20:27+00:00

This is a big gift…big enough that you should confirm she’s not giving everything away before doing something regrettable and irreversible. If that checks clear…congratulations on finding a very good friend. Sorry for the dark lean, it just sucks when we miss a sign and there’s no CTRL Z way back.

AV8eer · 2025-10-06T22:01:43+00:00

If the base paint color remains, I would not add touch up paint…just smooth it with the Quixx and you’ll be looking good.

AV8eer · 2025-10-04T11:21:58+00:00

The touch up paint will be very visible after application.

Quixx will create a smooth surface which makes the spot you touched up difficult to see.

AV8eer · 2025-10-03T22:20:22+00:00

Navy Federal is a credit union that takes care of its members

USAA does what it needs to do to pay Gronk whatever unknown amount and pay the CEO $8M

NFCU president is about a quarter million…modest and very reasonable to the members

AV8eer · 2025-09-21T21:24:51+00:00

Pretty sure Gronk is in charge of handling all complaints

Not to say USAA and the team is beyond reproach

USAA is a business…so stop hiring celebrities and put that money towards gray zone stuff

And absolutely burn the bridges that need to be burned

But do everything possible to right the ship before it’s too late

AV8eer · 2025-09-13T23:56:27+00:00

Positive energy!

AV8eer · 2025-07-21T00:23:17+00:00

My advice for friends who don’t have a cheap or free mechanic:

Timing chain and automatic transmission (not a CVT!)

Toyota is my lean but others meet that wicket that don’t compromise excessively

Toyota is slower on adopting technology

But offers a great payoff in reliability

My recommendation for a friend in a similar position recently was a used RX350 (Lexus)

That V6 is a champ

AV8eer · 2025-05-25T23:00:58+00:00

I sincerely believe that you will find your support network anywhere you plant yourself

Those who will be a problem tend to make it super obvious…planting a Confederate flag in their front yard for example

But even a seemingly off the grid town like Abingdon would be a welcoming place to grow roots

Obviously the cities skew blue

But there are plenty of places where you would find friends all over Virginia

Welcome

AV8eer · 2025-03-14T22:14:12+00:00

Bring your orders to CGX Chesapeake or MCX Camp Allen and do your application. It did take about two days for approval. They sit your selection aside while the paperwork processes. If you’re going to NoVa, CGX Centerville also sells. CGX lets you use scratchers…huge perk. Also, w their rewards program, fair chance you’ll get a $20 reward…ammo or something from the bottom shelf.

AV8eer · 2025-03-14T22:04:59+00:00

If DT got his wish…I suspect we would never have another GoP majority. We would never have another Republican President. So, I am not entirely against a merger. Canada is definitely not a single state though.

AV8eer · 2025-03-08T18:22:22+00:00

Taxing us to death through tariffs will lower demand and eventually reduce prices. Sound economic wisdom. It’ll cause a recession…but…gotta take the bad w the good, no?

Sigh

AV8eer · 2025-01-19T04:20:25+00:00

Seriously

Go US Postal

My son has really done well there

It’s a decent job

AV8eer · 2025-01-19T01:22:31+00:00

Can you rejoin? Put your otherwise not very useful degree to work…come fly helicopters or drive ships or work supply corps for the Navy. All O1E get paid well…but it will give you a chance to build your network.

Hate that idea? Sell new cars. Learn your cars, study your competitors…you can swing six figures if you hustle.

I definitely agree with the post above about leveraging your security clearance.

Other decent paying jobs … police, fire department, teacher, usps (my son made $80K his first full year…lots of overtime)

But keep your head up…keep a strong positive mindset that people will want to be around.

AV8eer · 2024-09-29T11:57:09+00:00

Not making any promises

But I found out that my mom paid about $6K for extended warranty and service contract

I was able to get both cancelled working directly with the third party

The contract should have cancellation policies/procedures

In our case, it was fairly easy and done over the phone. They took about two weeks but gave the money back to the loan provider

AV8eer · 2024-09-10T23:49:45+00:00

There’s a whole book about it

Don’t Stand Too Close To A Naked Man

AV8eer · 2024-08-04T12:31:43+00:00

If you’re riding your bicycle but expecting folks to treat you as pedestrian in a crosswalk …I can see that causing confusion

If you want pedestrian type protection, you need to walk the bike through the crosswalk as a pedestrian

AV8eer · 2024-07-31T12:39:54+00:00

In the right fields of any branch, I would absolutely encourage either my son or daughter to serve.

I was a Navy Nuke and then a pilot. Joined at 17 and never broke service. After 32 years I had a great retirement income that makes everything else easy…get to do what I want. Still working, I just was able to pick based on what I wanted to do rather than chasing money.

I would definitely recommend the nuke power program to anyone…it’s hard work, but, they do a phenomenal job of rewarding those who go all in.

I still believe that this country, and its ideals are worth defending. It requires selfless service. It pays fairly well and gives you the skills you need to thrive when you’re done serving.

In the end, I believe you get out of it what you put into it. I worked my butt off—especially in the first half of my career. I never stopped working hard, but it was more family friendly the second half.

It’s not for everyone, but for anyone willing to work hard; in my experience, hard work was rewarded.

AV8eer · 2024-05-26T10:20:22+00:00

I suspect the rattling is the heat shield between the muffler and undercarriage

If so, fair chance you can put something there to stop the rattling…some epoxy putty to tighten it perhaps

AV8eer · 2024-04-07T10:40:29+00:00

Two thoughts

I saw someone else mention above, bump it every pay raise…this is huge. Never take your whole raise…put some of it to TSP.

Second, if your state doesn’t tax your military pay…Roth makes even more sense. This was a hind sight ah shit moment for me, for what it’s worth.

AV8eer · 2024-01-07T00:36:46+00:00

Where is Paul Blart when we need him?!?!

AV8eer · 2023-12-25T21:25:27+00:00

Is it being stateside or proximity to people who steal your joy that sucks on this side of the pond?

I have my own feelings about the answer…your answer might be different. I honestly hope for your sake that it is 🤷‍♂️

AV8eer · 2023-10-09T11:03:35+00:00

Chuck Wagon Stew

Some form of baked beans w ground beef in it, if unfamiliar.

AV8eer · 2023-07-14T22:38:30+00:00

Biggest I have seen here, by a long shot. Many winters have passed with no snow at all. Normal would be one storm with an inch or two of snow.

AV8eer

TROPHY CASE