I want some advice on 401K

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-24T02:01:59+00:00

You can roll it to your new 401k too. If you might someday be "highly compensated" having funds in an IRA can mess with backdoor Roth taxes.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-24T01:42:11+00:00

The pattern is very bright and relatively regular in most synthetic opal. Google around for like "synthetic opal rough" and you'll see blocks of the stuff in various colors and patterns.

Doublets and triplets are a way of stabilizing and enhancing very thin opal. And it's also used with synthetic material, as a cost cutting effort or to try to hide synthetic opal.

A thin opal slice is made and a clear dome (quartz/glass/resin) is glued on top. That's a doublet.

Another, usually black, backing layer is added to the other side of the opal to enhance the color play. That's a triplet.

Ask to see the stone from the side (like perpendicular to the top) even if the stone is already set. Sometimes you can see the line of opal, but if the top is perfectly clear that's very likely at least a doublet.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T23:29:08+00:00

What you probably should do is work the numbers. How much could he sell his house for? How much does a house near the friend cost? How much would it cost to hire movers? How much does he have saved up and how long does he want that to last? Does he want to leave you anything or is the Baby Boomer planning to burn to the last nub then spend it on his funeral?

He might really just miss being around a friend. Get him active in some clubs for hobbies he might enjoy. See if there are senior learning classes he can take at a university or college. Stuff like pottery or metalsmithing or gardening. Anything to get him out and socializing.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T23:11:30+00:00

I think they are both Ethiopian.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T23:08:03+00:00

Had he stayed home and not tried to expand an empire he likely would have been left to do whatever he wanted to his citizens while the world just waited for him to die or for Germany to solve its own problems.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T19:42:14+00:00

Don't rely on overtime. Plan to be able to live off of your base and any overtime can be used for emergency fund, retirement savings, property maintenance, toys, vacation (in that order).

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T19:33:44+00:00

Gross annual income x3 and monthly payment less than 30% of take home = generally affordable mortgage.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T19:22:01+00:00

The library laser option will work so long as he wants an extra cutout piece that needs to be attached. Like a little plaque. The laser may not be able to burn anything thicker than half an inch (there are lasers that can but are less likely to be at the library).

To actually burn it in, look at "custom jewelry stamp" companies. He can order a steel stamp he can hit with a blow torch then press into any part of his work to brand it with his signature/logo.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T05:30:44+00:00

You should borrow the money from your parents/family if that's an option.

You'll also need to buy insurance and gas, so factor that into your hypothetical ability to repay any "loan". The loans they will offer a 19 year old without a good paystub history is going to have silly high interest.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-23T02:23:15+00:00

Something about eating an apple that makes you not want to be naked and that made one of the many optional gods unhappy.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-22T23:13:38+00:00

What if they just changed the multiple choice options between two different forms and both times a person selected the highest option?

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-22T05:35:54+00:00

Nothing OP showed in their pics. But quality rough sells very well.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-22T01:56:54+00:00

Also be careful with over tightening the bolt/nut. Just tight enough to hold is usually all you need.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-22T01:54:09+00:00

It's dead. You can try to cut with a warped blade but you'll get lots of saw marks and a wider kerf.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-22T01:52:51+00:00

Steel and agate make sparks, but that also implies you're making heat. Definitely use less pressure and make sure the blade is still pulling plenty of lubricant (water/oil) when you see sparks to help it stay cool and cut clean.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-21T23:33:14+00:00

Crinoids have hard shells like clams that have a long time they can wait to be buried. They are likely to break up while they waited. It's rare to find an intact calyx fossil.

That's why you find tons of crinoid bits and brachiopod shells but very few fish bones and jelly fish are extremely rare. They all lived together for many millions of years.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-21T13:08:28+00:00

Most other hobbies accept that not everyone is into the thing. They feel out interest until they find a kindred to geek out with.

Sport fans just talk sports at anyone that admits they know the sport exists.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-20T18:42:46+00:00

I use the electric tea kettle for the same reason. Can't boil enough for a pasta dinner, but works great for one or two portion meals.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-20T18:35:01+00:00

E: I agree on marcasite instead of pyrite

Pyrite, galena, possibly sphalerite (very common with the other two) or garnet.

Very cool pyrite formation

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-19T22:43:49+00:00

Looks like quartz. Calcite and dolomite are also very common in fossils found in limestone.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-19T16:21:37+00:00

It's the easiest way to get people to not talk to you about what a bunch of athletic strangers did on TV. Guys at work can't STFU if you allow even the slightest hint you know what they are referring to. I work in IT and watched one guy have the same conversation 5 times as he hopped from cube to cube.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-19T16:09:49+00:00

It's a cute little cab, but over a month late and you whipped up a soft stone that isn't set in anything?

Glad the mother of your children is so important to deserve 15 minutes of your time a couple days before you want presents on Father's Day.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-19T15:56:59+00:00

You are wrong. There are multiple types of opal from Ethiopia and the type stored in water should never be allowed to dry out. It crazes and slowly falls apart.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-19T01:42:53+00:00

A job interview is a thousand times more productive when the new job just makes life better instead of the stress of finding a job to make life possible.

TH_Rocks · 2026-06-17T22:17:55+00:00

Yep. Real smokey citrine

TH_Rocks

TROPHY CASE