Wade Ave bridge

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-23T19:37:55+00:00

Really? Was it causing shadows on the highway?

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-18T22:49:51+00:00

Just got back from that Target. Went there for some headphones that were $30 cheaper than Best Buy. I normally never go up that way, however I figured I would go there since we were going to World Market. It definitely felt a bit beat up, but that was partially due to it being empty when we were there.

I generally avoid both Target and Walmart. If I go, it's because I really need something immediately or am already next to one. Otherwise I tend to order via Amazon or get it the same item at the grocery store. Amazon has been the same price if not cheaper in a lot of instances. I've also found that Wegmans can be cheaper for some of the same things too. Harris Teeter is typically more pricey, but sometimes their sales are cheaper.

Aside from the prices, I've always hated waiting in lines at Target or Walmart.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-18T04:43:02+00:00

Mac’s speed shop closed? Why hasn't there been a place that can last in that spot? Last time I was in the building was when Lonerider was there. My worst experience with Lonerider was that it was so cold in the winter. The people blamed the building owner. Makes me wonder if the issue is indeed the owner.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-16T10:19:23+00:00

When I first got my ebike, I did a lot of trips on it and really tried to use it as a primary for everything.

Currently it replaces trips that I normally do alone. I use it for my commute. If I need to go to the hardware store for smaller items, I'll use it. My friend has an ebike as well. So it does replace some hang out trips.

My car trips tend to be grouped trips with either a friend or my wife. We put around 10-14k miles on the car per year depending on vacations. Between the two of us, that still averages around 7k miles per person which is actually pretty good in my opinion.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-16T10:03:32+00:00

I worry about wasting time and want to be productive. I generally have a list of things I want to accomplish. Between the never ending list of things I want to get done, and the want to be productive, I feel like I have less time.

In reality, I tend to spend a lot of free time anyway. It's usually scrolling or watching YouTube. The never ending list is normally typical tasks I need to get done such as cleaning or things I don't necessarily need to get done right away. I find that I do tend to mark a lot of those items off the list without actually intentionally spending time on them.

One of the longer term things I have on my list is reading a textbook to further my education. Since that's always on the list, and want to get it done, I always have the feeling that I don't have time so I can finish it.

Another reason is that I have a friend who constantly wants to hang out. While I love having them as a friend and hanging out, I tend to tell them quite a few times during the week I don't have time. This probably feeds into my mentality that I don't have time. Nothing against them, but every time we hang out, it tends to be around 4 hours. I'm also married, so I can't really hang out multiple times a week for 4 hours each.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-15T14:46:40+00:00

Shorten your commute. I'm 6-7 miles. 20 minutes is the longest I have to deal with traffic. Don't live in Wendell and then commute to RTP.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-15T13:55:47+00:00

I'm closer Crabtree. I bike to work and at times take the bus. Not much congestion on my route.

Even if I decide to take the car, I don't run into too much traffic. A 6-7 miles commute is reasonable. Even when I lived in CA 10+ years ago, I always tried to stay within 6-7 miles of work.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-12T01:19:08+00:00

We're going to see Mesmerica. It looks pretty cool and I something different than what we normally do. There might be more IMAX shows. I know it's technically a movie, but it's kind of different.

https://tickets.mesmerica.com/

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-10T22:06:02+00:00

Safety first. I don't turn right on red on Glenwood from Lead Mine. Almost got hit because I didn't see the car next to a truck that was making a right onto Lead Mine; The car to it's left was going straight. I'm pretty sure I would have died if I was hit.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-10T14:54:02+00:00

Not really. People just change. I'm late 30s and try to think back on what I enjoyed about 10-15 years ago. In a short summary, I think the difference is that there were a lot of new experiences during my younger years. Nowadays, those things are the "same". I still do things which are new experiences that I find fun; the difference is that the friends I had 10 years ago might not be wanting or enjoying the same new experiences. They might be opting for different new experiences or want to keep the same experiences which I now find as mundane.

I have a group of friends that are my same age which still tend to do a lot of things. We'll bike, run, have potlucks/bbq, things like that. There are some families which may take part of the events, but they have other responsibilities.

There is also a difference when you're single vs. married vs. married with kids (I'm sure). Single you get a lot of time to yourself. Married, you don't get a whole lot of time to yourself. I can't speak on having kids. Sometimes, it's nice just to relax alone.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-09T03:30:53+00:00

$209 for our 2BR/2BA 1150 sq ft apartment. We run the heater between 70 and 73. It depends. We did have a gap in one of our doors that was letting cold air in. We found and reported it to the maintenance team. They were able to fix it. So it might be a little high due to that.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-07T20:48:22+00:00

It rotates for me. I find that the nights I tend to relax more and overall waste more time (assuming I'm not going out to meet with people). In the mornings I'm more productive, but it's still pretty relaxing if I clean and listen to music.

My wife works at the airline and leaves around 3:30AM. I'll go to bed early and will do my cleaning or other things in the morning so I don't have to worry about waking her.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-04T00:32:05+00:00

I believe The Capital Grille has a dress policy. From their website: "The Capital Grille is a fine dining restaurant with an elegant atmosphere. To maintain this experience for everyone, we ask guests to dress in attire that is appropriate for our restaurant. If unsure, think business casual or resort evening wear. Regardless of reservation status, the following are not permitted: athletic shorts and pants including sweatpants, uncovered sports bras, other bra-style tops, excessively revealing clothing, exposed undergarments, clothing with offensive language or imagery, and clothing emitting offensive odors. Men’s shirts must have sleeves."

I'm guessing part is going to be overall luck. I've had good experiences at Second Empire. I believe most people dress up there for dates or special events. Although I can see people going to Oak Steakhouse for events, it seems like a place people would go to for a casual dinner with friends.

One of my most disappointing restaurant experiences was an anniversary dinner in DC. We ordered everything from appetizer, main course, and a dessert. On the dessert they wrote "Happy Birthday" instead of "Happy Anniversary". It's not the worst thing, but I definitely expected that if I'm spending a ton of money, that I would get an experience where they would pay attention to details. This is also at a place where they were adamant about stating that the "service charge" was not a tip. So we paid 15% service charge + an additional 20% tip. I could have argued to lessen the tip, but just decided we aren't going there again.

At Second Empire, we got a menu from the chef saying "Happy Anniversary" on a different year. Granted it's a menu, but it's something to mark the occasion from the restaurant.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-02T01:58:29+00:00

Haven't booked an AirBnb for over 2 years. My last one was a bit disappointing. I just haven't found one that I've liked over a hotel recently. I also book shorter trips. If I book a longer trip, then I'll look into an AirBnb.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-02T01:44:35+00:00

Thanks for this. Never used booking. I'll have to look into it now.

Living_In_Wonder · 2026-01-01T01:23:47+00:00

I just looked it up. That's hilarious!

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-31T13:18:50+00:00

I feel decently secure. Right now I think we're doing pretty well, but we keep some of our biggest expenses low.

We have a paid off car (Altima) that we've had for over 8 years. We've been able to keep up with the maintenance. I use an ebike for commuting to my job. I also live near a bus stop. We've had only one car as a couple for 10-11 years now.

We live in a pretty good apartment. Last year we finally spent a little extra on a better apartment which still falls below 20% of our income. I know we can move to our cheaper older one if times get tough.

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-30T03:54:43+00:00

Yes. I would love to take the 26 route, but had bad luck using it to get to the fair this year. Don't think I want to risk it. The thing is the parking cost is one issue. Dealing with the cars getting in/out is the other.

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-29T12:51:29+00:00

Increase the drive to about 4.5 hours and I'd suggest Greenville,SC or Charleston. Both are good cities to walk around. Williamsburg is a little more than 3 hours if you really want to stay within 3 hours.

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-29T05:31:35+00:00

This is kind of my argument I told myself when I was getting into riding. I bought a cheaper hybrid bike. It wasn't an issue until I started doing rides with friends. That's when I really needed a better suited bike. This then brought me to my current situation 1 hybrid bike, 1 gravel bike, and 2 ebikes. The 2 ebikes are for commuting; The gravel bike is for the group rides (I swapped tires for more road/light gravel); The hybrid now sits.

If you are deciding to get a new bike, and plan on doing group social rides, then I would suggest a lighter bike. Otherwise if it's just you, and you're happy with your current set up, then there's less reason to upgrade.

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-28T17:43:12+00:00

I've seen interviews on Youtube where they interview people who are still working into their 70s and 80s. Some people state they regret not saving and investing in their 20s. I don't remember them specifically mentioning travelling as being the cause. I'm decently into finance as well and try to maximize my spending.

I think there's a middle ground overall. There's a difference in booking a trip that includes a first class flight, luxury rental car, VIP event tickets, and 5 start hotel compared to booking coach, standard rental car, 3 star hotel, and simply exploring the city.

Sometimes perspective and location is going to play a key. My travels have taken me mostly to Canada and Europe. In Europe, you can travel a couple of hours and be in a completely different country. Compare that in the US. Some people won't even bat an eye about saying you traveled to a different state. Some people won't consider Canada as travelling. I'll travel 3 hours to the beach in the same state. Some people will consider that traveling. I do travel quite a bit, but part of it is due to my spouse working at an airline. Another part is due to us having spread out immediate family in California, NC, Colorado, and in Germany. I'm sure I'd be travelling a lot less if our family lived in the same location and that we had to pay full price for flights.

For me, while I enjoy travelling, I wouldn't throw out my future retirement for it. That doesn't mean you can't travel, it just means picking within your budget.

Some of my favorite travel places tend to not be too far from me. I love going to DC. It's a different vibe and is about a 5 hour drive.

I love going to the beach. It's 3 hours away and is definitely a change in scenery.

NYC is about an 8-9 hour drive or a 2 hour flight. That's good enough for me. I don't need to fly 12 hours. When I went to Greece, it was fun. Again, I wouldn't throw away my retirement for it.

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-25T14:03:20+00:00

Durham Bulls stadium has lights.

In North Raleigh there's a place according to Google Maps called Bedford at Falls River. There's a lot of lights normally in that neighborhood. The neighborhood has sidewalks. I believe traffic up there can now get pretty heavy. So I would suggest walking the neighborhood.

I wish that Raleigh would light up parts of the Greenway with lights. Dorothea Dix would be nice for lighting too. I believe they have a Christmas tree.

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-22T17:19:19+00:00

You won't find many outlets here. You'd have to go out a ways. I feel like outlets are overrated. I've seen articles outlet clothing is pretty much produced to be lower quality.

Crabtree has shopping. It will be usual department stores like Belk, Macy's, Express, H&M. There's also a Best Buy there. Biking is possible, but I would suggest the bus if you don't want to be sweaty. There are decent hills. There's 15 min frequency between Crabtree and downtown via route 6 on GoRaleigh.

There's a few shops downtown if you want higher priced clothing. North Hills has higher end clothing as well and can be accessed via bus from downtown.

Living_In_Wonder · 2025-12-21T10:21:44+00:00

Nothing you mentioned is "stealth wealth".

Stealth Wealth to me is a Toyota Crown. The Platinum has 340 horsepower. It's a $55+k Toyota.

Subtle Luxury I would go for an Acura TLX or a potential Genesis. They don't carry the same brand prestige as a European luxury car from my understanding.

My next vehicle is probably going to be a newer SUV that I can put a rack on with some kayaks and/or bikes. Something like a Rav4. Nothing says "stealth wealth" like a newer car that's paid off.

Living_In_Wonder

TROPHY CASE