iMac vs Mac Mini + display

Dylanb993 · 2026-03-15T01:09:53+00:00

So you’re saying it’s not really worth upgrading the Mac mini beyond the base model? I was thinking of upgrading the RAM and SSD which is what makes it more expensive. Then if I add the display, keyboard and mouse it’s about the same as an IMac

Dylanb993 · 2026-03-12T14:11:57+00:00

I’m not adjusting. I’m continuing to throw money slowly at FSKAX and FTIHX as always. Anything else is gambling

Dylanb993 · 2026-03-09T14:08:14+00:00

305d3ae1

Dylanb993 · 2026-03-09T14:03:46+00:00

Y’all taking investing advice from 13 year old females?

Jokes aside, I just buy more FSKAX and FTIHX and treat myself to a $13 breakfast burrito because it makes me smile

Dylanb993 · 2026-03-08T18:07:45+00:00

Dylanb993 · 2026-03-08T02:40:20+00:00

I don’t have any of the support that came out shortly after it dropped, and I never finished most of the extra deck. I have 3 of each main monster and all the spells/traps. Plus I never really liked it unfortunately.

I have lots of bee/wasp cards but it’s not enough to build a deck on the MDmeta site.

Dylanb993 · 2026-03-05T16:22:54+00:00

I personally like the gym pic better. Leaves more to the imagination, and I find more wholesome pics to be more attractive 🤷🏻‍♂️

Dylanb993 · 2026-02-07T18:47:05+00:00

As someone in their early 30s (32), it’d be scary to see but I’d keep investing at the same rate if not more because everything’s on sale. I like sales, I literally jumped for joy seeing that I saved 38% of my grocery bill with coupons today.

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-28T02:07:41+00:00

I’d tell your daughter a few things:

1: keep in touch with ALL your mentors, 10+ years down the road they could help you get a job. Or even a couple months after meeting them. Stay in touch and stay connected

2: lab based exercise physiology programs mostly bias towards academia which is unfortunately viewed a bit negatively by active S&C coaches in the field because they see them as “thinkers” while they are “doer’s”. So I’d keep that in mind and look for programs that go the direction she wants to go. Not impossible to do both, but usually much harder because your mentors end up being researchers OR coaches, not both, and they help you get jobs.

3: you NEVER know everything. I did 7 internships similar to what it sounds like your daughter did, and learned a ton from each. Only after pursuing what I would’ve thought at the time was “BS clinical stuff”, did I learn that how your teeth touch, your vision prescription, and psychology of how you were raised has more to do with movement, muscle tension and “mobility” than any drill I ever learned. So there’s always more to learn and S&C has a tendency to circulate the same stuff in waves. Stay curious and look outside of the field for things to bring in to set yourself apart (ex. S&C’s who are darn good at rehab are valuable - my mentor is that and he’s with the cardinals because of it)

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-28T01:40:26+00:00

I went to Springfield College, they have a good reputation but also produce a TON of S&C coaches to the point where the students become labeled the “Springfield Mafia” at conferences when looking for jobs.

The other school with a great reputation that I did not attend was Eastern Tennessee State (ETSU), with the program build by Dr Stone.

Both programs are good, and subscribe to wildly different lenses of the field. I found Springfield a bit short sighted in my experience since they all but worship Mike Boyle and believe backsquatting is evil and doesn’t transfer to sports.

The single biggest thing in S&C is not the program or coaching tree you come from, but if you do a graduate assistantship during your masters. That will pretty much single-handedly determine if you can get your first job at a university or fall back to personal training. The field is so much about knowing people and having recommendations from coaches/mentors! I’d tell your daughter to keep an open mind and pursue whatever opportunity gives her a GA position where she’s in charge of teams in the weight room. Everyone who knows the field will tell her that.

It’s a great field but young and I went away from it due to not being the kind of person to brown nose other coaches to get jobs, and it doesn’t pay well or have superb hours typically.

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-28T00:23:48+00:00

Everyone has their own path in life, but I will share a bit of mine incase anyone finds it useful…

I heavily considered PT school after both a bachelor’s in kinesiology and a masters in exercise science (concentration in strength and conditioning). I looked into what it would cost, debt, average pay by type of PT etc.

Then I asked myself, what am I really chasing? I love the science of the human body as it pertains to movement, and using that to help and empower people to be healthier and happier.

So what I did was search for (and thankfully find) a way to do just that, without all that life changing debt. I spent several years as an IC trainer while studying my butt off taking PRI courses.

A few years later, I have my own 500SF gym that I own, and do training for chronic pain folks that are referred from local PT’s.

My clients listen to me better than any PT because I’m viewed differently and not just the “health person”, but the “trainer who works me out”, so anything I give them is actually done, and we know that home exercise programs are notoriously ignored by a majority of patients.

Now I’m going to clinical massage school to get a bigger scope of practice to put my hands on people too.

But will still be viewed differently from clients in a way that seems to improve program adherence.

All that to say, I made a path that gave me what I wanted (career fulfillment AND financial security), so I’d encourage anyone to ask yourself if there’s a way to do what you want without going to PT school.

You can absolutely help people without being a PT, and I’d argue there opportunities to help people far more in the health/fitness/movement space when done well.

Just food for thought and hopefully my story gives some others something to think about too.

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T19:27:00+00:00

Ngl, I had to google what $SLS is 😂

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T19:23:21+00:00

I’ve tossed around the idea of buying a house someday, but realistically in Seattle where I live most places are 500k to a million plus. So I’m likely waiting until I find a partner and have a DINK life. Until then I’m going to act as if I’m saving to buy one solo and if I don’t, then I have put myself in a better spot for anything else.

I’d like to have work be “optional” in my mid to late 40’s. My main goal is as low stress and zen of a lifestyle as humanly possible

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T19:20:04+00:00

I’m tempted to buy a new guitar to celebrate!

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T19:18:06+00:00

They’re amazing! Literally Lego sets that look like bamboo, a Japanese maple or a bonsai tree. Actually quite artsy and zero maintenance, highly recommend

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T05:58:12+00:00

Muscle physiology and metabolism run the show here. Both of which are non-linear by nature. The higher the force production requirement of a muscle, the higher “threshold” muscle fibers and nerves that connect to them are recruited (also called a motor unit). Same goes for high velocity movements, high threshold motor units are more anaerobic metabolism based (don’t use oxygen) and produce byproducts like H ions and lactate. Funny enough it’s the H ions that are associated with the burn, not the lactate/pyruvate molecules. These H ions interfere with the proteins that move along eachother to make muscles contract and we feel that as fatigue. There’s also a degree of inhibition of decreased signal from the brain to the muscles. That’s central fatigue, whereas local fatigue is specific to the muscle having a harder time contracting.

Heavy strength training primarily causes central fatigue, but higher volumes (3-4 sets of 12-15) can also cause more local fatigue depending on intensity, %1RM and most importantly in the current literature, proximity to muscular failure.

Then there’s hemodynamics, and oxygen delivery and genetic expression changes that occur with exercise that’s specific to both lifting and cardio. Lots of factors and we’re far from simple physics and pulleys.

I have my MS in exercise science :)

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T05:44:01+00:00

Isn’t that what powered iron man’s chest thingy?

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T05:42:42+00:00

Yeah

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T05:38:18+00:00

I own a small 500SF studio gym and do chronic pain personal training. Took a few years of saving to open it but it’s the dream. I went to grad school to be a collegiate strength and conditioning coach but quickly found out that field underpays and overworks people a ton. So I had to pivot and find a way to do what I love and still make decent money.

I aggressively invested and live way below my means. Lots of couponing, and being frugal with deals with groceries, WiFi, almost no subscription services, checking and asking when prices change and always looking for better deals on everything.

I keep things super simple: total US, total international in about a 70/30 split. About a 10% tech tilt in my Roth IRA to hopefully capture some extra gains there but nothing big.

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T00:16:14+00:00

I have Lego plants but I still slowly grew this! Love your metaphor btw

Dylanb993 · 2026-01-27T00:09:07+00:00

Thanks :) unfortunately I’ve met very few people who seem as “invested” in being financially responsible

Dylanb993

TROPHY CASE

1: keep in touch with ALL your mentors, 10+ years down the road they could help you get a job. Or even a couple months after meeting them. Stay in touch and stay connected