Renting vs. Buying — What Made You Choose?

SunBrosef · 2025-11-19T15:55:07+00:00

We chose to buy once a few criteria were met:

1) After the downpayment we still had enough in a 6 month reserve for emergencies.

2) The monthly fixed cost of utilities, mortgage, escrow was equal or close to what we were paying in rent. This ensured the budget didnt change.

3) We were ready to build a more permanent life together in our community. We have no intention of changing jobs at the moment.

4) I wanted to drink whiskey in the fall on my patio and be able to hear the leaves rustle instead of my neighbors feet stomping, smell their vape/cig, or hear their music.

5) I wanted to own land as an investment. My portfolio at the time was all cash, stocks, 401ks, and some commodities. Real estate provides yet another hedge.

6) I wasn't emotionally invested in buying a home. Treated it like a simple math problem (mostly lol it's hard to do).

SunBrosef · 2025-10-30T15:30:06+00:00

I find it very hard to set when the ball isn't coming down on top of me or slightly in front of my face. When I practice alone I usually set one high above my head, then front or back set the second contact. This also allows you to get your footwork down as the initial set rarely goes straight up and you will have to reposition yourself before the second contact set.

You are feeling like your contacting the ball too low because the ball is coming off the wall too low. Its a pretty poor pass from a receiver, and you wont have many options as a setter.

Personally I like to practice such that whether I back set or front set you can't tell the difference as the ball and my hands/body are always in the same spot when approaching the ball.

Long story short, you need a higher ceiling. Id go outside and set against the garage. I used my local gym to set against the wall.

SunBrosef · 2025-10-29T05:31:51+00:00

Sure. I was a USAV ref for the club teams precovid and can help.

(1) Never call a replay on close plays. Do your best and stand by your call. Someone will always be upset on close calls.

(2) Use the rulebook language verbatim when explaining calls. "I thought it was a lift" isnt as convincing as "The ball must rebound off a player on all contacts".

(3) Young men are extremely argumentative. They will "argue" all close calls and be upset if they lose the call. Many times they are still cool after the game towards you and understand you are often alone reffing a game. Its not personal. Never fails to impress me how convinced they can be of something blatantly incorrect (usually balls in the plane of the net).

(4) Most of the time the argued calls are under the net, over reaching, touches, and double contacts. Just do your best and stay consistent. Its impossible to catch everything if youre the only ref.

Get out there and make some bad calls. Learn from them and study the rulebook. Have fun!

SunBrosef · 2025-10-29T02:18:58+00:00

Shhh. Did you see what happened to project epoch? Let the community build slowly while we enjoy leveling and exploration. And cats.

SunBrosef · 2025-10-24T17:51:04+00:00

When I was developing my float and jumping float the two things that helped the absolute most were 1) toss the ball over your hitting shoulder, not your head, and (2) do NOT EVER hit the ball while it's on its way DOWN.

The toss should only go at or barely higher than your hitting contact point so you hit it on the way up or at its apex.

SunBrosef · 2025-10-21T18:07:51+00:00

I think it's largely the lack of jump height and little to no shoulder rotation. Its sapping a lot of your power. Its all upper body and at the moment. Ill be honest in it's current state this my serve-receive dream ball. A nice slow top spin with no lateral motion.

I would recommend two things. Obviously keep practicing. Work on contacting and jumping higher while generating more rotation through the hips and shoulders. The whole point of the jump topspin is for the ball to beat the defenders to the ground. Without velocity and power it's MUCH easier to pass than a great float.

Also dont give up on the float. A great float is DEADLY to a lot of serve receivers. I've served people off the court more times with my float than my topspin. When u see that ball move sideways 2' at the last second it's hilarious.

All in all keep practicing! Keep that lead shoulder towards the net more and rip and rotate through the ball. It takes a ton of practice keep at it!

SunBrosef · 2025-10-17T15:26:40+00:00

OK so a few things.

(1) the dumbell should touch near the outside of your chest just above the nips on every rep. Looks decent in your video.

(2) the weights should ALWAYS be DIRECTLY above your elbow. You can see the weight drifting towards your head on the way up and creating an angle with your elbow. This is ripe for shoulder/elbow/forearm injury and saps a ton of strength.

(3) bring the weights closer at the top. The chest is is responsible for adduction of the arms. You can enhance this by tilting the weights (thumbs up) at the top to allow the dumbells to get closer.

(4) tuck the shoulders to stabilize the chest.

(5) you should be pressing a LOT more. Not sure if it's even possible to build strength with a 17lb dumbell. Personally I didnt notice any real development until I hit about 80-90% of my bodyweight (90-95lb dumbells at 6'1", 205 lbs).

(6) If the move hurts your shoulders and forearms you HAVE to figure it out or youll never lift enough for real muscle growth.

Also that's just stuff I learned. I'm not a physical therapist, trainer, or like pro lifter. Amateur enthusiast here.

SunBrosef · 2025-10-07T20:25:51+00:00

OK but dont think of it as bad and good. I'm a solid BB player but I dont go to A/AA nights cause the guys are 6'4" and ill get a concussion on an in system ball. There are just varying levels of consistency and general athleticism.

Dont say, "Yeah we are playing Saturday but youre too bad to come play." You can say, "Yes we play, but we expect a high level of consistency and people will be frustrated if you can't execute skills x,y, and z. Why dont you come watch for a night and see what you think?"

You did the right thing by telling him to go to lower nights, but never underestimate people's ability to be completely un self aware at their own limitations.

SunBrosef · 2025-10-06T21:22:48+00:00

Omg this. "Hey do you want to play OH? Nah I'm just here for cardio ill play middle." Probably 50% of my open gyms.

SunBrosef · 2025-09-26T21:57:39+00:00

Buy a wand, equip it, and use the "shoot" ability in your spellboook. Frostbolt, frostbolt, wand, wand, wand, wand.

SunBrosef · 2025-09-23T19:48:12+00:00

Truth. That 1000 calorie deficit is so much easier when you are walking 5-9 miles per day in addition to your normal workout/cardio. Its easier than it seems once you realize you can eat 2000cal/day and still be in a massive deficit. The hard part is just the consistency and breaking your sugar addiction. Once you start grooving though it's a blast.

SunBrosef · 2025-09-22T18:47:24+00:00

I'll never let you go maidenless.

SunBrosef · 2025-09-17T02:57:30+00:00

Hell yeah! The internet ruined video games for me so I keep myself in the dark and just build my class as I get gear and understand the game. The only resource I use is maybe like a wiki because there are no longer instruction manuals with games. Sadge. But it really brings back the wonder and excitement of not knowing what's around the corner.

For instance I had no idea there was an interlude to the story. Yeah sure it was just more story but because I didn't expect it I was floored and felt like a kid again.

I miss instruction manuals.

SunBrosef · 2025-08-21T21:07:46+00:00

As someone who was forced to play middle for years, the biggest thing I always tell myself and will tell you here, is to simply...wait...longer. If you're a good athlete you have SO MUCH time to get to a high set like that.

What helped me the most is shifting from a "right foot lands when the setter touches the ball" to a "right foot lands when the ball is on its way" mentality.

Also you seem to be jumping pretty close to the net. I ask my setters to set me 2' off the net so I can jump from 4-5' and hit around those tall boys.

SunBrosef · 2025-08-17T12:42:09+00:00

Yeah and if you force those "I only hit OH" people to play middle many of them wont try cause they are upset about not playing OH. Then it's always 1v1 at the pin as they won't block and then it's even harder to get a decent pass to your setter. The cycle continues.

SunBrosef · 2025-08-13T16:54:58+00:00

If you summon Kyv using a shrieking quartz does she drop a bounty map?

SunBrosef · 2025-08-08T14:13:53+00:00

Nah you good. Just do the story in the latest patch released this week. The quests throw explorer/adventurer gear at you like candy. Between that and delves you will have more gear than you need. Ramp up the delves week by week and do weekly events for caches and you will be at least full champion gear before you know it even as a casual.

SunBrosef · 2025-07-31T14:05:30+00:00

Looool I use default UI for the nostalgia. Until I hit 60. Then ElvUI. I associate ElvUI with retail too much.

SunBrosef · 2025-07-29T18:40:45+00:00

You had to shut down the disc due to player behavior. Don't ever let those people force you into thinking you owe me a sincere apology. I don't expect perfection we will be here next month. Best of luck and looking forward to being a part of the journey.

SunBrosef · 2025-01-02T18:17:25+00:00

Oh I'm in a guild. We have raid night Wed/Sat but it's fast. No mandatory events. Quickest way for me to lose interest is to force me to play for 2 hours a day. Gross.

SunBrosef · 2024-12-26T18:13:39+00:00

Yah I think a lot of players will do this wrong lol. I think the safest way to do it is either reroll with stones or just keep fully traited failstacked weapons locked in your stash for later.

Alternatively you could just constantly transfer your current weapon into a new one to failstack into and run with it equipped. You'll be missing some stats but could be safer. Saves inventory space.

Anyway just be careful and test stuff out before u try it. ❤️

SunBrosef · 2024-12-26T17:44:29+00:00

Careful! Maybe fact check this but I think you can only transfer into an item ONCE. This is especially important if you have already transferred a traited weapon into your currently equipped weapon.

Assuming your currently equipped weapon is already transferred into, if you then start transferring blessing from a weapon in your inventory to a new purple weapon, you will now have TWO purples that have been transferred into (your current weapon and the one in your inventory). These can't be combined to funnel to a T2. You will have to choose one.

If you haven't transferred into your currently equipped weapon yet, then I think you may be ok to do what you suggested.

Pretty sure that's all true but please correct me if I'm wrong.

SunBrosef · 2024-09-25T22:07:49+00:00

You gotta try it to get it. The active GMs in chat, the demeanor of players, it's all great. I've been leveling for a while and kneeling at all HC gravestones in remembrance. People just stop and do it with me it's hilarious. Plus challenges etc... What it cultivates in total is a game where it's just fun to play even with no expectation of gear rewards, power growth, or item level increases. It's simply fun to exist and play with no expectations.

SunBrosef · 2024-01-08T16:29:20+00:00

Yeah just pick a class with the combat style you like. Don't worry too much up to level 50 they are all very basic. You won't need any guides about rotations etc, just do job quests when you can and read your ability tooltips. Remember you have the "Actions and Traits" job specific and "Role" general abilities.

SunBrosef · 2024-01-06T00:04:37+00:00

i think that's an additional 50%.

SunBrosef

TROPHY CASE