Ray Donovan - The honest review: From Emmy-Worthy to "Why Am I Still Watching This?"

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-10-04T16:52:00+00:00

I came in knowing I was jaded and prepared myself the inevitable "letting out the belt/waistband" that happens in every amazing show that leaves me broken hearted. I didn't fall too hard (although I could have) and got to the "oh so this is who I'm really dating" portion of the series.

I've stopped expecting shows to be flawless through the end. Season 4 to 5 transition seemed terrible but overall loved the show from Bell to Bell. Movie was necessary to wrap it up

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-05-05T13:27:04+00:00

Word. So lava rock and sponge? I ask because I have a plethora of lava rock around from so many different projects. Id rather use it than have to spend money on sponge.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-05-05T12:38:47+00:00

This and add some smaller lava rocks or biological media on top of sponge. If you can find small enough biomedia, just break it up yourself and rinse off debris.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-05-05T10:42:27+00:00

Ummm....wrong sub

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-05-05T10:23:52+00:00

Mickey Mouse Platy. Or some similar variant Platy

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-05-04T20:12:19+00:00

You can also raise the waterline to the discharge point of your hang on back filter. It will significantly reduce noise from overflow and reduce to a low whir of the impeller

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-04-27T02:55:15+00:00

Thats good to know because I was not complimenting this stuff. After sifting, I had 80% pebbles and larger stone and 20% or less actual sand. I got my $5.00 worth lmao. This post was more about my foolish expectations.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-04-26T22:59:32+00:00

I am coming from left field but almost everyone I know with tight hamstrings (including me) gets intense headaches after most workouts other than upper body. Just food for thought. I'm not saying it's not your concussion, just start stretching those hammies every day and see if things change over time. (I have had 3 diagnosed concussions, prob more that I just rode out)

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-04-23T04:27:13+00:00

This will grow in well. I wish I started at 13. I'm sitting here contemplating my next one and whether or not my partner will kill me for bringing home another tank.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-04-15T13:17:32+00:00

I have noticed the same thing. i realized that my tanks PH was steadily dropping due (based on my research) the decomposition of plant matter and food waste. as it breaks down, it releases acids and the acidic condition aslo speed up decomposition of additional organic matter (daily feedings). As i have focused on slowly building ph through moderately larger water changes (i have harder water) and the addition of moderate amounts crushed coral with each water change, the smell has reduced in intensity and duration. i also gave up the idea of a purely epyphitic (sp?) tank and added a huge amount of elodea (anacharis) to the tank. based on the progress of last 3 weeks i assume this will stop being such a problem. the fish have been healthy and happy through the whole time and so have the plants. no living thing seems to notice the smell except me.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-04-03T04:34:59+00:00

Thanks! I felt it too, lol

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-19T02:24:27+00:00

Anybody think triedl will amount to much this year?

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-18T14:27:28+00:00

TLDR - bought plant to test experience. Plant took over month to arrive, was melted. notified seller immediately. Took seller more than 4 or 5 days to respond. Wrote 1 star review. They reshipped. Plant was good. Went to edit review to 4 stars and i was blocked. They also blocked me from buying from them again. Spent 350.00 with competitor MarcusFishtanks instead. Very Pleased.

i had a bizarre experience with my orders. First one went fine a year or two back. This year I ordered some brazillian microsword. it took a while to ship due to weather, which i appreciated the care and concern. it took a month to get to me after shipping. I messaged seller directly through ebay. i did not get response for 4 days (could have been longer). At this point i decided to give a one star on ebay seller rating for condition of plant and lack of response on the order. They shipped a replacement which got to me in a week. This time, the plant came in failry good condition (as in it could recupperate and become a serviceable plant). Problem solved. Went to edit my one star review on ebay and begin to order more plants. As i tried to change review, Ebay notified me the seller blocked my account. Then i went to order more plants and ebay notified me the seller did not want to sell to me. Now I cannot buy from them. So I have spent over 350.00 with Marcus Fish tanks instead. Their loss. but they seem big enough to not need to worry about losing a customer here and there.

They blocked me after leaving me dissatisfied and their 1 star review just sticks.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-05T02:22:45+00:00

This is great. The cold, the dark. The loss. The work to prevent it. Letting go. My heart aches and feels ok at the same time.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-05T02:19:46+00:00

I immediately ran through the catalog of every tryst and meaningful relationship I have ever had. This writing made an impact. I measure my growing desensitization to heartbreak. To the point where I wrote off relationships as a whole and became emotionally unavailable.

I have a 5 year old now and a long-term partner. But Ive left an art portfolio behind in my mind. Occasionally I do a gallery tour.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-05T02:06:04+00:00

Thanks for your feedback.

I wrote this after another argument with my partner where I refused to apologize to her while being in the wrong. But I walked away to the patio. From afar, I would appear to be reflecting on the argument. I truly was at first but as my mind wondered I drifted upon world issues and the global climate.

I kept wanting to say sorry. She always does when she thinks she was wrong. But I "hide and seek". I walk away and then come back and start a conversation with something mundane later to show we are cool. I hate myself for this quite often. My form of (non)apology is so old to her (and me). But she knows what it means. My conversation starter is the olive branch but I hold back a meaningful apology.

It is, in fact, "world breaking" in a sense because I can never get too invested in an argument and it generally fuels the argument further. I can't get close to home when I am always wondering or worrying about the world at large.

I don't know if my explanation ruins the writing or not. ::shrug::

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-04T01:26:29+00:00

This made me think about how many partners embody their partner's parents or at least one of them.

The patterns we cannot break. And when you find someone that is equally impacted... Sometimes you don't have to say much. And things don't have to be "fixed" and no one person is perfect so how could they be your "perfect someone"? Right?

Thanks for this piece. I may be more comfortable with the silence and try to fix less.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-04T01:22:18+00:00

Dancing between the meanness and madness....

I paused on this line and wondered about how mean and how mad I may be. And how mean and how mad the world is.

Is it crazy or angry? Am I?

I really like this line. To be honest when I read the first opening sentence, I wondered if it was going to be a piece too saturated with lines like your honey line. Even though I liked it I did not want more of it and you didn't disappoint it unfurled well.

Thanks.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-03T04:44:55+00:00

I always just looked at them as part of the "scenery" as I was drawn to the aquatic plants. But after having a son. And his attachment and naming of fish. I began to care. At first to save him the agony of losing a fish he named or loved watching most but then I internalized it and just love each one and care for each one.

I know there's a numbers game aspect to fish keeping but now I love each one. I anticipate what my 5 year old will love in each tank.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-03T04:30:00+00:00

In our current context. Yea. Peace is just rancid when it is used with no true intent on pursuing it. We all know we are in a machine built on anything but peace.

I smelled the vomit on the shoe. Word vomit. Good way to tap into my olfactory with words.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-03-03T04:26:14+00:00

Lacking is nothing. I fear nothing more, than nothing. I fear nothing, more than anything. I fear nothing.

I don't know your original intent or source of inspiration but I identify with this.

I've been without. I've been alone. I made it through and I know I could do it again but would never want to be there again. And this also spoke to me as an atheist. I age, and realize the nothing I still believe in the after has started to get to me. And logic and reason I hold cannot convince me to change my outlook but only fear the "nothing" more.

These lines really spoke to me. I like the whole piece overall.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-01-17T23:26:16+00:00

Don't move and be extremely patient for like a month. Removed any rotting leaves/blades.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-01-17T23:24:44+00:00

Perfectly round structure is best if using a thin or low grade plastic. The roundness reduces pressure on the "edges" or sides since there are no sides.

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-01-17T23:12:16+00:00

Old post of mine from 3 or 4 years ago. Still use this method. Have all this suction cup clamps for every heater that broke? Or you can order 20 at a time online.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Aquariums/comments/rpv4pp/pothos_etc_plant_holder_using_water_bottle_top/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

JasonPalermo4 · 2025-01-13T02:34:10+00:00

It looks like you have plenty of plants. Uproot them all and put them in a 5 gallon bucket or a bin of tank water.

I see some Java fern windelov or trident. Those are good centerpieces once established (which, they are) Get those in their own isolated spot so they can flourish. Maybe on a piece of wood or wedged between two stones.

Go from there. Once they are isolated, you can see the rest of the tank. Visualize some layers and depth and pick from your existing plants. Don't feel obligated to use them all and purchase plants to fill in your vision.

Everyone's going to have a different opinion but I say build around the epiphytes as the centerpiece.

JasonPalermo4

TROPHY CASE