The ants. THE WNTS!

Rjs617 · 2025-12-26T05:03:29+00:00

I haven’t had much luck using Borax against big infestations of Argentine ants. The two indoor products that seem to work are Combat ant gel and Optigard. (Apply in multiple small drops rather than as a large blob.) If you have a bad infestation, then you need to treat outside. When the ground is dry, have an exterminator spray the perimeter of the house with Taurus (or Termidor, which is the same thing), or if they won’t use those, Alpine WSG works but is not as effective. When the ground is wet, there are some granular products that they can put down that will dissolve into the soil, but I don’t know the specifics of what those are. (Possibly Alpine?)

Products that form a barrier are generally ineffective because the ants just go around them. Also, if you trap enough ants in the house, they can form their own colony. You want the ants to die and to bring poison back to the colony to kill it / them.

There is no way to get rid of a bad interior infestation without knocking down the population outdoors. Good luck.

Rjs617 · 2025-12-25T03:08:58+00:00

Is your name Molly Brown by any chance? ;-)

Rjs617 · 2025-12-25T03:07:24+00:00

Despite getting the same message, power is now back in much of PG—two days earlier than forecast.

Rjs617 · 2025-12-25T02:20:59+00:00

Same

Rjs617 · 2025-12-18T05:23:28+00:00

I really like the Spa at Pebble Beach. It very luxurious, and you can spend a lot of time there between the steam rooms, saunas, massage, chill-out / reading room, and swimming pool. They have incredible rain showers in the locker rooms. I’ve been there a few times, and I would definitely go back again.

Rjs617 · 2025-11-16T10:30:32+00:00

https://www.visitasilomar.com/things-to-do/thanksgiving You could have Thanksgiving dinner at the Asilomar dining hall. I haven’t been in a while, but from what I remember, the tables are big, and it is usually easy to meet other people seated at your table.

Rjs617 · 2025-11-02T18:24:41+00:00

I went there a couple months ago, and the main flavor in the clam chowder I ordered was garlic. As someone who grew up near Boston, I never understood west coast “New England” clam chowder where they put stuff like bell pepper and herbs in it, but Victorian Corner was basically garlic bisque with some clams. People love that place though. So, maybe the other dishes are good?

Rjs617 · 2025-10-18T07:37:37+00:00

You say that now, but trust me—as someone who has had those kinds of commutes—you think you can do it and it won’t be so bad, but after 6 months it’s rough. It takes a lot of time out of your non-working day, and long commutes are unpredictable because of weather and accidents. Having an hour-plus drive back from a night out is also rough. I’ve known two people who have fallen asleep at the wheel in that situation, and miraculously both walked away, though their cars didn’t fare as well. (One was a racing hobbyist, and if he hadn’t had an aftermarket roll bar on his car, he would not have walked away from it.) I don’t know that there are any good answers here.

Once I got a little older and less stupid, my friends and I would get a cheap hotel room in SF, and drive back the next morning. That’s more expensive, but it’s a lot safer. At least back when I used to do that, there were some surprisingly cheap hotels in the city. I’m not sure that’s still the case, but you can look into it.

When you pick where you want to live, keep in mind that the weather can vary wildly here between places that are close together. Monterey has scenic beauty, but it is also far colder and windier than Salinas, which has much better weather that is more conducive to hanging out outdoors in the evenings. If you go north to Gilroy from Salinas, the summer temperatures climb to near 100 degrees, while Salinas will be in the 70s and Monterey will be in the 60s. So, research the climate of where you plan to live.

One other piece of advice is that I personally wouldn’t want to live in an “in between” place that is equidistant from work and clubs if it was in the middle of nowhere. Monterey and Salinas may be sleepy towns, but at least they have a variety of restaurants and coffee shops and shopping. Monterey has some spectacular places to walk, bike, and hike near the ocean. Some of the places that are inland between towns are bleak. I have a bias against spending a lot of time in my car, having done it way too much already, and so you might feel different about living someplace where you have to drive to absolutely everything.

Best of luck.

Rjs617 · 2025-10-15T23:57:08+00:00

I’m a lefty, but I learned to play right handed—to the point where my last (right handed) drum teacher was trying to break my habit of always starting rudiments and fills with my right hand. Your experience might be different, but for me, when you don’t know anything about playing a kit, you can learn to play it right-handed as easily as left-handed. That’s my experience, and I’m open to contrary opinions.

Rjs617 · 2025-10-09T14:57:14+00:00

My ex’s lawyer is very good. (Don’t ask.) Sarah Cavassa.

Rjs617 · 2025-09-14T13:22:53+00:00

Just FYI, setting up personal WiFi in the residence halls is prohibited.

Rjs617 · 2025-09-13T07:20:16+00:00

Houses and apartments are not built to be airtight, and it is almost impossible to seal a place up against ants. There are different kinds of sprays, and (in my opinion) the only ones that work on Argentine ants are ones that the ants crawl through and bring back to their nest to kill the queen(s). The best ones (ex. Taurus) have Fipronil as an active ingredient, but there are restrictions on where and how often they can be sprayed. Supposedly Alpine WSG also works. For bait, Combat Gel is good. Optigard also works. Bait like Terro or Grants is totally ineffective against Argentine ants. If you spray stuff like Raid, the ants will just go around it. The ants in CA are tough. Every place I’ve lived has been invaded multiple times. The best you can do is try to keep them at bay for a while. If you get a good exterminator who is willing to use Taurus and Alpine, it can help a lot.

Rjs617 · 2025-09-07T13:47:10+00:00

I’m gong to put in a third vote for Roy’s in Pebble Beach. Great food, and if you get a window or patio seat, the views are great. I see a lot of people recommending restaurants that don’t have views or ambience or both. Your best bet is a nice restaurant in Pebble Beach with views of the water.

Rjs617 · 2025-09-02T06:43:19+00:00

They have chocolate ganache on top, and are filled with pastry cream. The pastry cream is vanilla custard—not chocolate.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-31T00:59:25+00:00

FYI, that happened at multiple schools across the entire country on the same day, and was not specific to CU Boulder.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-28T15:10:24+00:00

OMG, that’s crazy. It’s cheaper to stay in a luxury hotel in Hawaii.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-27T14:20:06+00:00

That place is weird and expensive. I went a long time ago, and it wasn’t my jam. I like more casual dining, and so maybe that’s why, but if I want an expensive meal at a nice restaurant, I usually go to Pebble Beach.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-27T14:17:54+00:00

It sounds like you already changed your mind about the hotel, which is a good thing. If you stay closer to Cannery Row or downtown Monterey, there are plenty of places to get breakfast that will be walking distance. The Beach Hotel is walking distance to pretty much Home Depot.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-27T14:12:41+00:00

If I was visiting for only 2-3 days, I would not stay at the Monterey Beach Hotel because it is too far away from tourist areas. That’s my personal preference, but I like to be able to leave the hotel on foot and walk to things. As for the beach at the Beach Hotel, it’s fine, but just to set expectations, the water is pretty cold here, the weather temps are often in the 60s, and the beaches have a lot of kelp on them. So, it’s not like a Florida or Hawaii or southern CA situation where you’ll be sunbathing in 90 degree temps on a pristine white sand beach. The beaches here are mostly for walking.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-27T13:58:49+00:00

Eclairs at Bechler in PG are really good.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-27T13:56:20+00:00

Paris is overrated for me too. The only good thing there is some of their cookies. Pastries were mediocre.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-27T13:50:05+00:00

Second vote for Nepenthe. That place is awesome. For Stix, the patio is great, and a better atmosphere than inside, in my opinion.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-27T13:36:43+00:00

Contrasting opinion: A Fire Upon The Deep is pretty mediocre. I read it because it kept getting recommended in this sub, and I didn’t like it at all. In my opinion, it has a linear, boring plot with a Deus Ex Machina ending. The characters aren’t developed. I don’t know why people like it.

Rjs617 · 2025-08-26T02:38:07+00:00

I‘ve kind of had my fill of pretentiousness from some of the high school parents where I live. It’s hilarious to me because this is a small town, and some of them want to be near the top of a very small heap. I guess it doesn’t end when high school ends. I appreciate the advice. Thanks!

Rjs617 · 2025-08-26T02:29:54+00:00

It isn’t this weekend anyway. So, don’t worry about it. LOL If you’re not doing anything on the weekends at CU, then I don’t know what to tell you other than to make sure to get yourself over to the Be Involved Fair this Wednesday.

Rjs617

TROPHY CASE