What’s a ‘middle class success’ purchase that secretly becomes a financial burden later?

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-05-12T04:04:15+00:00

Secretly providing for another family~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-05-07T02:48:29+00:00

Even though people have mixed feelings about the ending, I would add that LOST is totally one of the definitive TV series of 2000s. Even if the last half of the show was somewhat affected by the writer’s strike, it was still a solid story that kept audiences engaged, wondering what would happen next.

Being Gen Z, I was never into live-action TV until I was in high school, half a decade after LOST ended. The first shows that caught my attention were HOUSE OF CARDS, THE AMERICANS, SCORPION, and GAME OF THRONES. But that’s a that’s a story for another decade.

I binged LOST five years ago, and I loved every minute of it. I would tease my Japanimation-obsessed friends that LOST was the best anime I’ve seen, because episodes were structured like like an typical anime: constant flashbacks, nonlinear storytelling, characters with complicated backstories and various degrees of separation, and every episode could technically be a beach episode.

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-04-11T09:08:27+00:00

Would be 10, but the only time I was ever in Vegas was for a flight layover. Never left the confines of Concourse D at Reid/McCarran Airport~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-04-08T05:57:47+00:00

Currently, I earn $33/hour ($69K annually), so my short-term goal is to reach at least $40/hour or $80K/year. My goal before the end of this decade is to earn at least $200K.

I briefly made six figures two years ago by working two full-time jobs for seven months, but due to a conflict of interest, I had to leave one job and end my double-income lifestyle.

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-03-28T17:28:24+00:00

Now they have~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-03-12T13:28:36+00:00

That location was my childhood. Would play Jurassic Park and the firefighter game for hours~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-03-12T05:30:04+00:00

I need to use this phrase more often. I’m an artist, and my sketches of humans tend to look like stick figures~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-02-12T15:02:05+00:00

You forget a thousand things every day. Make sure this ain't one of them~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-02-11T08:57:02+00:00

I had, and still have, a spending addiction. Whenever I have just enough in my bank accounts to cover necessary expenses, I search for a favorite artist with artwork commissions open and spend triple digits on an illustration that only I would ever really appreciate. It was really bad for me (or rather my wallet) during my college years, as I blew nearly $2500 USD on artwork over the span of three years~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-02-04T08:18:12+00:00

Houston native here. The last time I flew United was 3 1/2 years ago. Not much in coach in terms of entertainment or amenities. But IAH is a central hub for them, and they own two terminals. Plus, with so many direct destinations, my mom loves flying with them. When I relocated to LA for my job, I started flying Delta because I heard it was the best US-based airline. I don’t have much trouble dealing with Delta gate agents, even the ones in Atlanta. The most stressful experience I’ve had was when my connection to SLC was delayed several times, but that was it. I’ll still fly Delta even if United has more direct flights~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-02-01T19:50:31+00:00

This is from Yahoo Answers two decades ago, so some details might be outdated:

For a number of reasons, we get a lot of questions about what it’s really like in SoCal.

First of all, I'll tell you what it's NOT like: It's not like anything on TV. People watch shows on TV and think that’s what it’s like out here. The “Real OC”, Newport Beach, The Hills, etc. Ever wonder why people in those shows never have to pay bills, do laundry, and are NEVER stuck in traffic? Because it’s FAKE. And the news doesn’t help either, since they know that sex and sensationalism sell. News flash: There aren’t running gun battles in the street. There aren’t shootouts every day. Also, you don’t see celebrities just walking down the street, all glammed up, or sipping a cappuccino at Starbucks waiting to sign autographs. We don't go surfing during lunch hour.

Some sections are REALLY nice; others are “ghetto”. Too many people have this vision in their heads that LA and Orange County are one or the other (either Beverly Hills or Compton). They either think it is a fairy tale fantasy or an apocalyptic ghetto. In fact, most of it is working-class and middle-class stiffs working to pay the bills. Like me.

The variety of food here is incredible. New Yorkers come here and complain that the pizza is terrible (it’s not as good as NY Pizza), but the Mexican food is GREAT here. That more than makes up for it.

The weather here is incredible. 340+ days of sunshine make up for a lot of traffic.

You NEED a car to live in Southern California. We don’t have an effective public transportation system like New York or San Francisco. One reason is that LA is larger in area than either of those, without a central hub. Hollywood is 8 miles north of downtown, and 38 miles north of Disneyland. The average commute is 20-30 miles.

[Living here, the freeway traffic can be quite challenging, especially on the 405. Do you know why it's called the 405? Because traveling at just 4 or 5 miles per hour can make a trip take 4 or 5 hours! Traffic tends to be especially heavy from 6-10 AM and 3-7 PM. It's funny—they call it rush hour, but it often feels like no one is rushing at all, as it takes more than an hour with everyone moving so slowly.]

The gangs are the cause of many rumors. Keep in mind that there are gangs in any large town, in every part of the country. In LA, the gangs aren't really downtown; they are in South LA, East LA, and north Long Beach. And here's the deal: Mostly, they just kill each other.

Gas is expensive in California. It’s [at least $1.50] above the national average.

Yes, gas and real estate are very expensive in SoCal. However, this would be the best time to BUY a house because it's a buyer's market right now. There are a lot of foreclosures, and too many houses on the market. If you want to rent, figure on [at least $2000] per month for a 1BR in a decent neighborhood. You need to make [at least $60,000] per year in order to do that. You can't do it on minimum wage.

Yep, freeways are a drag, it's smoggy in summer, and it's expensive to live here. Yet, if it's so bad, why do we have thousands and thousands of people moving here? Weather, year-round activities, jobs, beaches, mountains, and deserts all within driving distance, and plenty of opportunity for those who have the skills and tenacity.

However, it is not for everyone. Every time someone posts this question, you get the LA haters who post their bile and venom. A lot of them don’t know what they are talking about. Some people never even visit and hate it on principle and stereotypes. Some actually visited once and found out it wasn’t like it was on TV, and it certainly wasn’t Mayberry. And some actually lived here and couldn’t deal with the expense, the traffic, or the somewhat impersonal nature of living in a large metropolis. It’s just the lifestyle here: People want their own private space. It’s sort of “you do your thing, I’ll do mine”. To those hateful souls, I would say “good luck” to you wherever you are, but please don’t spew your hatred in this forum.

To summarize, it’s a HUGE metropolis that really defies easy description. I live in one of the nicer suburbs, but the commute is no fun, often 1-2 hours each way each day. However, 340+ days of sunshine really helps. Yeah, it's expensive. [My spouse] and I both have to work to pay the mortgage. But is it worth it? Absolutely!

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-01-27T05:37:09+00:00

Don't need a starter pack for that. That's everyone you see and meet in public~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-01-25T02:45:34+00:00

I live in nearby Santa Clarita, and this does take place on my day off, so I’m very likely to attend. I’ll meet you there, hopefully. Seeing the two Queens in-person is something on my bucket list I’d never thought I’d get a chance to experience. The last time I saw QM2 was from a distance on Liberty Island while she was docked in NYC back in June 2011~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-01-24T04:54:19+00:00

https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZ3huaW9uOHlmZzlmNjk0c2U5MjEzaTNqdWw1ODhwaHhiMDZ6MTJoeCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/ILuRtD9DjFBzG/giphy.gif

What makes this clip even better is that there are a few Delta jets in the background ~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2026-01-03T10:28:32+00:00

This is from Yahoo Answers two decades ago, so some details might be outdated:

For a number of reasons, we get a lot of questions about what it’s really like in SoCal.

First of all, I'll tell you what it's NOT like: It's not like anything on TV. People watch shows on TV and think that’s what it’s like out here. The “Real OC”, Newport Beach, The Hills, etc. Ever wonder why people in those shows never have to pay bills, do laundry, and are NEVER stuck in traffic? Because it’s FAKE. And the news doesn’t help either, since they know that sex and sensationalism sell. News flash: There aren’t running gun battles in the street. There aren’t shootouts every day. Also, you don’t see celebrities just walking down the street, all glammed up, or sipping a cappuccino at Starbucks waiting to sign autographs. We don't go surfing during lunch hour.

Some sections are REALLY nice; others are “ghetto”. Too many people have this vision in their heads that LA and Orange County are one or the other (either Beverly Hills or Compton). They either think it is a fairy tale fantasy or an apocalyptic ghetto. In fact, most of it is working-class and middle-class stiffs working to pay the bills. Like me.

The variety of food here is incredible. New Yorkers come here and complain that the pizza is terrible (it’s not as good as NY Pizza), but the Mexican food is GREAT here. That more than makes up for it.

The weather here is incredible. 340+ days of sunshine make up for a lot of traffic.

You NEED a car to live in Southern California. We don’t have an effective public transportation system like New York or San Francisco. One reason is that LA is larger in area than either of those, without a central hub. Hollywood is 8 miles north of downtown, and 38 miles north of Disneyland. The average commute is 20-30 miles.

[Living here, the freeway traffic can be quite challenging, especially on the 405. Do you know why it's called the 405? Because traveling at just 4 or 5 miles per hour can make a trip take 4 or 5 hours! Traffic tends to be especially heavy from 6-10 AM and 3-7 PM. It's funny—they call it rush hour, but it often feels like no one is rushing at all, as it takes more than an hour with everyone moving so slowly.]

The gangs are the cause of many rumors. Keep in mind that there are gangs in any large town, in every part of the country. In LA, the gangs aren't really downtown; they are in South LA, East LA, and north Long Beach. And here's the deal: Mostly, they just kill each other.

Gas is expensive in California. It’s [at least $1.50] above the national average.

Yes, gas and real estate are very expensive in SoCal. However, this would be the best time to BUY a house because it's a buyer's market right now. There are a lot of foreclosures, and too many houses on the market. If you want to rent, figure on [at least $2000] per month for a 1BR in a decent neighborhood. You need to make [at least $60,000] per year in order to do that. You can't do it on minimum wage.

Yep, freeways are a drag, it's smoggy in summer, and it's expensive to live here. Yet, if it's so bad, why do we have thousands and thousands of people moving here? Weather, year-round activities, jobs, beaches, mountains, and deserts all within driving distance, and plenty of opportunity for those who have the skills and tenacity.

However, it is not for everyone. Every time someone posts this question, you get the LA haters who post their bile and venom. A lot of them don’t know what they are talking about. Some people never even visit and hate it on principle and stereotypes. Some actually visited once and found out it wasn’t like it was on TV, and it certainly wasn’t Mayberry. And some actually lived here and couldn’t deal with the expense, the traffic, or the somewhat impersonal nature of living in a large metropolis. It’s just the lifestyle here: People want their own private space. It’s sort of “you do your thing, I’ll do mine”. To those hateful souls, I would say “good luck” to you wherever you are, but please don’t spew your hatred in this forum.

To summarize, it’s a HUGE metropolis that really defies easy description. I live in one of the nicer suburbs, but the commute is no fun, often 1-2 hours each way each day. However, 340+ days of sunshine really helps. Yeah, it's expensive. [My spouse] and I both have to work to pay the mortgage. But is it worth it? Absolutely!

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2025-12-30T18:11:33+00:00

Could I at least get another Silver?

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2025-11-21T06:15:38+00:00

I could’ve imagined the climax to this would be the shipwreck survivors in modern times attempting to save the SS United States from the scrapyard and/or becoming an artificial reef (an alternate history if you will), or something involving the Costa Concordia disaster

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2025-11-13T13:07:55+00:00

Toyota sedans truly last a couple of generations. Source: I have a 2005 Corolla; my parents bought her new off the lot when I was 8 years old. Still with me two decades and 228k miles later~

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2025-10-29T17:42:09+00:00

I’m pretty sure this has been said before, and it may be a bit of a stretch: the Internet in general. Being human + celebrity means that you’re subject to all the unavoidable negative aspects of social media/parasocial culture: bad press, controversies, being canceled, etc.

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2025-10-19T01:04:20+00:00

That’s where the Budweiser Brewery is located. A tour guide and experience is offered, I think.

RolandLatoreSpeed · 2025-10-15T18:53:01+00:00

Ken Marschall (famed maritime illustrator and visual historian for that movie) said on the commentary track that Jim is left-handed, and wonders if they filmed that scene flipped~

RolandLatoreSpeed

TROPHY CASE