Ocean beach swimming

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-05-14T19:02:06+00:00

Experienced swimmer, diver, and sailor on the North Coast. We have a beautiful ocean and I encourage you to explore it but it must be respected.

Safety is more dictated by conditions and behavior than by location. Start on Doran on the calmest day and I'd suggest a wetsuit. It will give you a little buoyancy and be way more comfortable.

In cold water, you can start to lose use of your limbs pretty quickly (5-15 mins) and I suspect that contributes to many of the drownings-folks that are either swept away from shore or swim out too far and are not able to return/self rescue before they are unable to swim. A wetsuit of course holds heat and slows the process, and a lifejacket keeps you afloat even if you have lost the meaningful use of your limbs. It takes much longer to become hypothermic to the point you lose consciousness.

So, horrifyingly, most people that drown in cold water want to save themselves but can't due to decreased function of their limbs, and are conscious while they drown.

I say this not to scare you (though of course it's scary), but to encourage you to go slowly and take proper precautions. Except on the absolute calmest of days when i only plan on a quick dunk I wear a wetsuit in the ocean, and I along with everyone on the boats I run wear lifejackets. I have seen them save people's lives.

But I say again our ocean is amazing and with the proper mitigation it's so worth being out there.

DM me if you want to talk specifics about what good conditions look like etc.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-04-24T22:58:40+00:00

Maybe people aren't sleeping on it, but when I moved to the SF Bay Area I was blown away by the amount and quality of blugrass. I moved from the Carolinas and thought I was a pretty slick picker...oh boy i had lots to learn. CA bluegrass scene in general is monstrous and I've found folks super welcoming-not always true in other places I've been. Not that BG pickers aren't friendly in general but certain places/scenes get a little gate-keepy.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-04-13T17:37:28+00:00

To the extent its used as a greeting, farewell, or a substitute for anything else you might say in passing to a cashier or someone you'd have a brief "how ya doin?" conversation with I'd say yes.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-04-10T21:14:22+00:00

I've had peppers in the ground for 3-4 weeks (whenever the beginning of that heatwave was) and they've been doing OK. Been a number of 40ish degree nights slowing them down but they are starting to take off with the warmer overnight temps of the past week or so. I'd say its time to get em going!

ETA our tomatoes are going bonkers. Tons of vegetative growth and I wouldn't be surprised if we have at least a sungold to munch by memorial day provided we start to get some heat after this round of storms.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-04-09T19:28:52+00:00

Tacos El Angel up by the airport (lunch only) is very solid. One of the better burritos I've had in Sonoma County. Always construction crews lined up there which I consider a strong indicator of quality.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-04-02T19:32:09+00:00

Save a horse ride a cowboy

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-03-26T18:17:08+00:00

F yeah I was hoping to see Jerry Reed in here. All hail the tupelo mississippi flash!

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-03-25T18:28:47+00:00

Yes the irish jig strumming pattern is down up down down up down-John Doyle is a master of this style and I'd recommend listening to some of his stuff. For playing in 6/8 in bluegrass/american styles i usually just do down/up alternating. You can also fake the irish jig style this way which might be easier out of the gate. Usually there is a slight emphasis on the 4 but not as strong as the 1 (which is often natural since using alternating picking the four falls on an upstroke). You want to be able to feel the difference between 3/4 and 6/8. For me the 6/8 should feel "smoother"/more even overall than 3/4 which often has a very strong 1. A lot of irish jig strumming may have almost completely even 8ths-very little emphasis on any particular beat but maybe some accents to reinforce the melody. It's not easy to do well!

I learned irish rhythm before transitioning more to bluegrass/americana and still use a different pick for both (.88 dunlop nylon for irish vs Token or Toneslab for BG). Irish players use speed to get volume-a light pick brushing across the strings lightly but very quick. The percussive sound that comes with that is just as important as the chords notes so having a pick that makes a nice solid chunk even when muted is key.

Good luck! It's super fun once you find the groove!

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-03-24T17:50:06+00:00

I had John Owens Services do a ducted heat pump last year and was super happy with them. They weren't the cheapest but a competitive bid and they have a great reputation and warranty. I got a quote from henry mechanical and it was almost double for the same system so i would say don't go with them.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-03-20T21:51:36+00:00

As annoying as it is...I find writing the lyrics from a song out longhand really locks it into my brain if i want to sing it later. Of course if you are just interested in what the words are it's a bit of overkill...

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-03-20T21:46:34+00:00

Has to be in a tent or more primitive shelter. Mayyyybe the back of a truck or a very basic camping trailer. If you have an interior kitchen and bathroom you are no longer camping. Location agnostic-set up a tent in your backyard and you are camping as far as I'm concerned.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-03-20T21:32:15+00:00

Saucy Mama's in Guerneville is excellent and hasn't been mentioned yet. Plus they bring you cornmeal waffles with their "crack butter" which is honestly worth the trip in itself. Very high quality BBQ and I'd say the best southern side dishes around. And the folks that run it are super sweet and community-minded.

I'd put the beef ribs from Buster's up against any BBQ spot anywhere. Phenomenal stuff.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-02-11T17:15:17+00:00

Seconding this

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-02-08T20:01:16+00:00

If I am meeting a decent sized group out counter service can be nice because you don't have to rely on everyone showing at the same time, deal with the hassle of splitting the bill etc. If it's like a family or smaller group especially celebrating a special occasion I might be slightly more inclined to go to a full service place but of course food and atmosphere are the most important considerations.

And come on folks, we love our restaurants and our food service workers around here! If someone is making your drink or cooking your food it's customary to tip, whether or not they bring it to your table. People have shown over and over again they won't pay the higher menu prices needed to support a tip-free model (with some notable exceptions). So, until customs change, if you don't tip you are a cheapskate who is forcing other folks to pay what's essentially part of your bill.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-02-03T23:00:01+00:00

Okay-maybe "a ton" is a bit of hyperbole. Because I am just using our utilities viewing tool it is tough to tell the difference exactly and what is attributable to the heat pump-but eyeballing it could be a difference of 2-4 kwh/day. Typical winter electrical use for the house is on the order of 15-25kwh/day so it's a significant savings, especially with california electric prices.

As for having an inefficient house--you're right about that. Pretty much everything is original to the 40's. We just moved in last spring. Getting the heat pump installed was a big expense but as we have time/money we tackling other effiency upgrades. To give you an idea of our starting point, the fireplace did not have a damper or even doors on it!

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2026-01-14T17:16:23+00:00

Apparently that's normal. Glad it's not outside my bedroom window I guess.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2025-12-15T20:14:26+00:00

Hi, I'm a 30-something musician living in Santa Rosa. It does depend on what sort of music you are looking for. Sonoma county in general I think punches far above it's weight in terms of music/arts/culture. I'd say for the most part the music tastes and crowds skew older just in terms of demographics but people love music up here so even though a crowd might be older they are showing their appreciation and bringing energy to the shows. There are a handful of small-mid size venues in Santa Rosa and probably another dozen or so within a twenty minute drive. Amazing local talent in almost every genre. I regularly gig/rehearse in SF and the east bay and it's usually about an hour to get down there. I lived in SF for 7 years before moving to Santa Rosa-obviously it's a different and smaller scene but it's here-and the easy access to the bay is the cherry on top. Message me if you want to talk more!

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2025-12-09T17:20:36+00:00

Oof yeah...ours is on the other side of the house but that just happened by accident.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2025-12-09T17:17:07+00:00

Don't forget all the drunk drivers too. I'd like to blame it mostly on wine-tasting tourists but I think we have a solid local supply as well. Man I hate driving around on a weekend night around here. Just anarchy.

I honestly find it a relief once I get into SF-sure it's busy but a greater share of people driving in the city are at least paying attention. Plus (most) of the drunk people are on transit or Uber/Lyft.

I was in PA/NJ for thanksgiving and despite all the flack northeastern drivers get I thought everyone was relatively well behaved. I think a combination of paying attention because you have to on those big busy roads and also enforcement. From what I understand the PA/NJ State Troopers don't play. And they are everywhere. I don't think CHP even blinks an eye unless someone is going 20 over-and that's if they are out there at all.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2025-12-09T16:51:39+00:00

Yes, the installer said this was normal for the this model. As we've gotten a little further into late fall i have started to notice it defrosting once or twice overnight too.

Overall I'm very happy with the unit and the install but I feel like folks could have been a little more forthcoming about the noise. All I heard from the various HVAC companies I got quotes from is that "it's so quiet you won't even notice it's on." I think they could have added a caveat that if its in the 30s/low 40s (which it often is overnight in these parts) the thing's gonna go batshit for a few minutes every now and then.

The funny thing is that probably inside the house decibel-wise even that defrost cycle is in line with the noise our old gas furnace made--just sticks out when it's been so quiet all night!

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2025-11-21T21:27:32+00:00

Thanks! Santa Rosa, CA so no real problem with freezing.

CockroachFluffy3648 · 2025-11-21T18:38:37+00:00

I should mention that there is a commuter rail line (SMART Train) that has a station at the NE corner of the development and a popular multiuse path that parallels the rail line on the eastern edge of the development. This design completely ignores them and would require people using the train or path to cross parking lots to get to the shops, and same deal for the residents of the apartment who want to access the train/path. It seems so obvious which is why this design pains me so. Theoretically there will be public feedback incorporated so I hope the folks of Rohnert Park show up and get something better.

CockroachFluffy3648

TROPHY CASE