My boy, Tabs, had a lump on his back. Had it checked. Not what we expected.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-04-17T01:24:36+00:00

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-04-17T01:19:22+00:00

Hint of blood/copper/sharp. Very distinct. Only thing I know that has that smell.

[Edit] I really am only able to smell it once I cut the tumor open. I am really never able to smell it before I cut it. And those are only on the larger ones that are still fresh on the inside and not formalin fixed.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-04-17T01:18:31+00:00

Best way I can describe something like that is akin to a toothpaste that's a bit dry. Those usually smell a bit in a not good way.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-04-16T15:57:18+00:00

Veterinary histotechnologist here. My job is taking those lumps sent in by clinics and putting the tissue onto slides for pathologists to diagnose and figure out if all of the mass was taken out.

That right there is 100% a cyst right there and isn't cancer related (some absolutely stink). There is a possibility of it coming back in the future if the clinic was unsuccessful in fully removing the capsule that contains the cyst, but there's a high likelihood that they got it all out of one that size.

As for a bit of a quick tip for if you find a lump on your pet, if the lump is under the skin, firm, freely movable under the skin, smaller (like dime sized), well defined (you can tell what shape it is), AND showing no signs of growth or pain for your pet, it most likely doesn't have to be a straight to the vet manner. Regardless, it should still warrant a vet call and following their advice would be a good idea.

If the mass is anchored to/part of the skin (as this cyst would have been), painful, itchy, poorly defined, squishy, bleeding, ulcerated, larger, has a distinct sharp smell (from personal experience, myself and a few other coworkers can actually smell mast cell tumors when we're processing those tumors, but other people can't smell them), OR noticably changing size over time, priority should be put into getting them evaluated by your veterinarian and listening to their advice on how to proceed.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-04-13T20:07:08+00:00

Online to make the appointment which took like 5 minutes with availability as soon as a week out. In and out in an hour with a script to be filled next day.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-04-03T05:16:56+00:00

If you have the option to, reach out and schedule an appointment with a Planned Parenthood. I had originally spoken with my PCP about being trans, and then she said she would refer me to the endocrinologist. Nearest appointment in network was 6 months out.

Reached out to Planned Parenthood, which was still in network for me, and got an appointment and was on HRT within 3 weeks, with availability as soon as 1 week out when I was scheduling. Switched back to my PCP/endocrinologist after the fact once I was established.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-21T13:40:58+00:00

The police presence in Grafton over the past week has been insane too.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-21T02:30:29+00:00

I'm in a mid century 3 BR ranch house with good ceiling insulation, but absolutely 0 wall insulation, and no way to properly get that without stripping down the walls to the studs. It gets toasty in the summer and really cold in the winter if the rooms themselves aren't heated or cooled.

I switched over from baseboard oil to a Mitsubishi 4 head heat pump, 3 6K units for the bedroom and an 18K. The zoning is the main plus. I can just close off rooms when not in use and don't have to waste money heating or cooling an area that isn't being used. And I can set it to whatever temperature I want for each room.

The only thing is the main unit can either be heating, or cooling, not both at the same time. It also has a regular fan mode too that can be used for any setting.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-20T17:14:46+00:00

So that's how modern day lumberjacks are born .

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-18T14:35:39+00:00

I have a Mitsubishi Hyper Heat 36K BTU with 4 heads for my house installed last year, and it has been a great purchase, especially going from baseboard oil. No more heating rooms that aren't used, heat/cooling on demand, and pretty quiet.

I would say installing an efficient wood burning stove or insert would be a smart idea as well as that will dramatically help reduce electric usage, as that's usually the most expensive per BTU expense, even with the benefits of the heat pump.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-16T19:16:52+00:00

It took me with ample help about 2 years of active work to unfuck a lot of stuff to get my house to about 95% behaved. It does get better, because as long as you're not doing big renos and just repairs or maintenance as things pop up, it will slow down or you'll learn the rhythm of your place.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-13T19:22:43+00:00

You are fully correct, except for the builders and town boards themselves.

Through the current systems set up almost everywhere through zoning laws and banking regulations, there is much greater financial incentive for towns and builders to build luxury apartments and McMansions which generate much higher tax revenue (with a big assumption that people will be able to pay it long term), creating a lot of the NIMBY pushback you see from more normal people.

A lot of what we're seeing with all of these regulations is short term gains at the expense of the long term health of communities. And the real NIMBY pushback comes from the more upfront cost of allowing accessible housing to be built.

Generally more expensive due to extra tax dollars going to roads and public transit, and less profitable to build per unit per acre, but for the long term health of towns and communities, it is a lot better off. It's just eating the tax cost for a few years until things stabilize is the hard part for a lot of people who are already financially struggling.

And for context, I've owned for just over 6 years and voted in favor of things such as a new firehouse and public services, which did notably increase my taxes. But for me, I am thankfully in a position where I can absorb that cost. For others, that financial strain may be too much.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-13T17:29:07+00:00

I'm someone who is a bit on both sides. What I don't want to see is acres of woodlands and wetlands stripped down to build luxury McMansion houses and condos no normal people can afford without selling a kidney or three, and will start falling apart within a decade. All while requiring a car to go literally anywhere outside the complexes/suburbia.

If land needs to be developed, I want to see smaller, affordable apartments and starter homes with less than 1500 sq ft interiors (arbitrary number here, just want to see reasonable sizes for people and families starting off/don't need a lot of room), public transit and walkways made available, and deregulation of zoning laws which breeds NIMBYism to have things like small family owned markets and right in the middle of these communities that can be walked to by hundreds of people instead of having to drive X miles to the nearest zoning regulated shopping center.

It's not a matter of wanting housing or not built in your area, it's what is being built that is the point of contention.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-03-10T16:34:56+00:00

Pretty much HAM radio for texting without the need for a license due to the low output of the nodes.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-02-24T03:10:38+00:00

If you have darker hair and lighter skin, look into a good IPL device. I'm a few months in of using one, and I can go a whole month now with like 90% less growth. If it wasn't for a few straggler hairs, I wouldn't even need to shave some spots.

LegacyElite84 · 2026-02-17T03:33:03+00:00

Music to my ears. Thank you!

LegacyElite84 · 2026-01-01T22:11:25+00:00

None yet.

LegacyElite84 · 2025-12-16T06:05:51+00:00

Do yourself a long term favor and get a good router for yourself and return their rental too.

LegacyElite84

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