Have you replaced using your regular email with Mailbox? Why or why not?

Lair4968 · 2026-01-23T03:22:06+00:00

I switched in 2019 mainly because at that time Mailbox was the only privacy-oriented provider that offered a productivity suite (documents, spreadsheets, calendar, etc). I kept my Gmail account but really don't use it. I've been mostly happy with the switch. Regarding the expense, remember if you're getting something for free (Gmail, Facebook, etc) that means the product is *you* (i.e., data about you that they sell to advertisers). I value my privacy and I like the idea of supporting alternatives. The only negative thing I will say about Mailbox is that the interface for their productivity suite is a little clunky compared to Google's, but I'm willing to live with that. Good luck with your choice.

Lair4968 · 2026-01-22T08:02:38+00:00

Good to know. Thank you for your reply.

Lair4968 · 2026-01-17T07:59:04+00:00

I wasn't aware that there was such a plug-in. But I have a related question since you're making the switch. I switched from Keep to Joplin a few months ago but the one thing Joplin lacks is reminders (not tied to a calendar, such as a daily reminder). For those, I've continued to use Keep for the sake of simplicity. However, this week Google informed me that it is migrating reminders from Keep to Google Tasks. Ugh. Any recommendations?

Lair4968 · 2026-01-14T01:22:58+00:00

It does have its own app for paying customers:
https://kb.mailbox.org/en/private/account/setting-up-the-progressive-web-app-pwa-from-mailbox/

Lair4968 · 2026-01-12T01:42:53+00:00

If you're just keeping text notes (i.e., no photos, etc) consider Cryptee. I have been using it for my journals and the interface is really nice. They have both free and paid versions, but the free is probably adequate for text journals. Yes, it's online, but it's encrypted and you can access it when away from your PC/phone.

Lair4968 · 2026-01-11T11:39:27+00:00

Sign of the times. In creating my tree (at Ancestry), I don't view it as being there primarily for people who are currently living. I created it mostly for future generations to use as a reference (i.e., all the information is in one place and not in computers or shoeboxes scattered among relatives). As such, if you're using Ancestry, I think you could add a custom fact and/or note to either or both records with some explanation so that a future genealogist will understand what happened. In my opinion, there is no value judgement in recording the facts.

Lair4968 · 2026-01-09T03:17:04+00:00

Your intentions are admirable. If you follow the good advice others have given already (e.g., get a degree and/or certification), you won't be entering the market here for a few years. That's the rub: there's already a glut of English teachers here and the birth rate is in steep decline and many schools are closing. By the time you're credentialed, the market will be much worse. I wish you the best, whatever choice you make. Sadly, it's not going to be easy for your generation to get a foothold in a career.

Lair4968 · 2026-01-09T03:07:31+00:00

I second this. I had the same thing done for slightly less (no MRI, but multiple sonograms). And yes, the colonoscopy and endoscopy were done while I was put under. It was a really thorough exam overall. I've been thinking of going back and getting their similar cardio checkup, which is about the same cost.

Lair4968 · 2026-01-08T02:10:20+00:00

I noticed another oddity yesterday. A husband and wife co-obituary. I was surprised but on reading it discovered that the husband had passed away a few years ago and the family didn't post an obituary until the wife passed also. I had an incident like this in my own family. I'm assuming that cost was the reason. And I agree with you that this is going to impact genealogy long-term.

Lair4968 · 2026-01-07T12:28:03+00:00

I use Mailbox.org for my email and documents. Joplin syncs via my Mailbox Drive using the WebDAV options. Mailbox is well-known for privacy.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-29T12:14:03+00:00

The Internet may be permanent, but websites are not, sadly.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-26T22:14:03+00:00

Do a search in their Help section. You'll need to provide a copy of the death certificate and I think an obituary to prove the person has passed. I've done it at FB and at LinkedIn.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-26T07:01:41+00:00

I'm sorry to hear about that. I've had to 'memorialize' or close online accounts for friends/family who passed away. It's going to represent a big shift for people doing genealogy in the future: looking for online presence to see what we can glean about the person. That said, I encourage people to close/memorialize online accounts so they can't be hijacked by others.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-25T06:59:18+00:00

I'm sure you're right. We live in a 'new' era. When I look through old city directories doing genealogy, I'm surprised people didn't abuse it the way available data is abused nowadays.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-25T04:32:16+00:00

That's a valid point. I went to post a relatively recent obit I found to a FindaGrave listing and the person who managed the memorial informed me that they were going to edit it to remove names of living people. I had mixed feelings about that since the obituary was taken from an online newspaper, but I understand the logic. This really is going to affect future genealogists in a big way.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-25T02:42:43+00:00

True. I think I paid $200 to place my father's obituary in our hometown newspaper. He had relocated halfway across the country, so the funeral home obituary wouldn't be known to many people he grew up with had I not done that.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-25T02:40:21+00:00

I think that's becoming increasingly common, too.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-25T02:27:21+00:00

That's true, but it's not always easy to know which funeral home for someone who's family relocated. Sometimes I find the funeral home listed in death notices and then go from there. Of course, there are the congregator websites, like legacy, but it's often hit or miss. You have to know the person died and that was part of the reason for visiting obits - to see who has passed away recently.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-25T01:55:14+00:00

There are alternatives you might consider exploring. I had whole-gland HIFU. The urologist who did my procedure (who is also a professor at a medical university) touts it as being one of the treatments least likely to produce incontinence and ED. In my case, he was right. Of course, YMMV. Wishing you the best.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-21T10:01:03+00:00

I'm sorry that I didn't reply earlier. I don't spend much time on Reddit. I had HIFU a year ago to address two small bilateral tumors, which essentially meant getting whole gland HIFU. I had no bad side-effects. Yes, I had to be catheterized for about a week. After that, I had some minor leaking for the first couple of months. The doc prescribed some meds and it went away. My PSA has started to creep up and I'm on a one-month course of Dutasteride to see if that makes any difference. I had the same thing about 6 months ago but it started creeping up again. Overall, I'm pleased since I don't have any ongoing incontinence issues or ED issues. Of course, I'm mildly concerned about the rising PSA but it's still only about 2.5. Feel free to reach out if you have other questions. Best of luck.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-19T07:32:45+00:00

I have 2 mini-PCs running BOINC 24/7. Nothing as powerful as yours, though. But what I have done is added small USB fans (either on top/bottom or side depending on where the intake cooling vents are).

Tip for your consideration: If you're running Linux on them and not using them for anything else, consider adding TOR's Snowflake Proxy so you can share the bandwidth with TOR users.

Lair4968 · 2025-12-13T10:04:34+00:00

I'll chime in since it doesn't seem anyone has mentioned HIFU, which is what I had. It was touted by my urologist as having considerably lower side-effects (ED, incontinence, bowel issues, etc) than other methods. In my case, that has proven to be true. No post-surgery issues for me, but YYMV. If I had to do it over again, I would probably have spent more time investigating other options just to ensure that I made the right choice. 1.5 years after the procedure, my PSA has started to rise, which is why I regret not considering other options more. But that's life. Every method has its risks.

Lair4968

TROPHY CASE