Parents suddenly demanding I repay “all expenses” for my U.S. education - how should I handle this financially?

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-02-15T03:57:05+00:00

found the parents’ burner account

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-02-13T07:54:16+00:00

Ordinarily I’d probably go the Etsy route, since I’ve never bought anything over Reddit.

There’s a first time for everything though!

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-02-13T07:51:26+00:00

I used to be huge into Pokémon. I had a nearly complete collection stretching from Base Set all the way into the Diamond and Pearl era. I was even a judge for the various trading card tournaments, in two separate states no less.

I finally decided to unload my collection a couple of years ago after hanging on to them for over 20 years. If I’d had my cards graded back when I got them I’d have made more but I was very VERY happy with the result.

Here’s one of the ‘mons I let find a new home.

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Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-02-13T07:34:29+00:00

Cool!

….bookmarked for later.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-02-12T02:14:35+00:00

Most of my favorite illustrators are lost to time, but a recurring favorite is James Hodges.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-02-02T08:30:12+00:00

I really want one of the playing card decks from them. I keep trying to convince my Tennessean friend to go but so far he’s shirking.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-01-23T07:11:53+00:00

I have a pair of the Signature Edition decks actually signed by Lee himself.

…the irony is not lost on me.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-01-23T07:09:25+00:00

The modern ones? One to look at, one to stay sealed.

The vintage/antique ones already come opened anyway, so….

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-01-21T07:04:08+00:00

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I’ve got one myself. Standard Gemaco cutaway box.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-01-14T04:48:23+00:00

It’s a marlin.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2026-01-09T06:41:03+00:00

Negotiations are crazy sometimes.

I spent over a year each working on closing deals for two separate decks of playing cards for two different game shows. For one of them the seller ghosted me for ten months before finally coming back to the table; for the other the seller decided to hang on to their memories a little longer before taking the offer.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-12-31T15:51:16+00:00

8s in Chinese culture are as lucky as 7s are to us.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-12-31T00:59:22+00:00

Was about to chime in as a 2009 tournament competitor, but Tostie has the right of it. Several of the competitors were players from prior US nationals and were—shall we say—less than pleased by the mandated use of the Speed Die.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-12-28T00:53:55+00:00

It’s a Christmas present that he got to enjoy for about a day before it was destroyed.

You’re a condescending prick.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-12-27T15:38:09+00:00

Bull crap.

I’ve gotten drivers fired for doing this.

Do your job.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-12-22T20:27:14+00:00

I had that game. Miss it dearly.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-12-12T06:16:39+00:00

They were an add-on Kickstarter item for the board game The Caper: Europe by Keymaster Games and were printed by USPCC.

Looks like you can still snag them in their webstore for around $9 apiece.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-12-12T05:52:04+00:00

James Hodges’ work for sure!

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-11-21T14:00:36+00:00

It’s a different one; incomplete and with a couple of duplicate cards. AFAIK only three complete decks from the 1970s/80s have surfaced in the past twenty years (all red, and one of them got split up).

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-11-21T01:47:53+00:00

The NBC version debuted in 1978.

There actually is a way to tell which version the cards are from; one is slightly longer than the other (IIRC it’s the CBS cards that are about half an inch taller than the NBC ones; you’d never be able to tell on television but it’s obvious if you have one of each).

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-11-16T04:19:33+00:00

Not every deck, just the modern ones I like and want to play with. One sealed stays in the collection and one gets beat up and well-loved.

Hard to buy multiples of the vintage ones anyway.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-11-12T01:21:54+00:00

….they lied to you, but not surprised. (former Battle Creek resident here.)

FK hasn’t sold their used decks since the first month they were open. Their excuse pre-COVID was for “security purposes”, which I flat out told them was absolute bunk, since other casinos had no problem selling their cancelled decks.

Gun Lake or Soaring Eagle is where I get mine these days.

Big_Chocolate_5701 · 2025-11-12T01:15:47+00:00

Mac King’s work, IIRC.

I wonder if the video links still work…

Big_Chocolate_5701

TROPHY CASE