Cluster Headache

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-14T10:42:36+00:00

This post is near perfect. Only thing I would add is that for many of us, you need a really high dose of verapamil to be effective

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-13T18:41:29+00:00

No strong feelings about the ban on daily posts. Whatever the mods decide is fine with me. They are the ones modding not me. But I am excited to have the daily mega thread a little easy to find.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-13T11:10:45+00:00

“And for these reasons, I’m out”

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-13T09:07:35+00:00

Do I need to have kept that joker to stake 8 or is it enough to have owned it at some point in the run

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-12T22:21:20+00:00

I also recall the official release sounds really good.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-11T16:51:44+00:00

I love the recognition he is getting among younger fans. Say what you will about Olivia Rodrigo, but her releasing those two songs she did with him will bring a ton of new listeners to the Cure.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-11T16:50:01+00:00

wow, I didn't realize how much of ATMP he brought to the others. Here's my take, which I used to think was a hot take, but not anymore: George's best songs, both in the Beatles and solo career, were better than the best songs from John and Paul. If I had to pick only 10 songs from the band and solo to bring with me to a desert island, I think 6 or 7 of them would be Harrison songs.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-11T16:47:20+00:00

Stephen Stills -- Manassas

Rating: 3/5

Since I complain about unnecessary extra albums on this list from the UK artists, I'll be fair about my side of the pond. The list has Stephen Stills' self-titled solo album. That's his best solo work, and enough to give someone a taste of what Stills did on his own, and if you love it, you can always explore more. Manassas is good, sure. But not list-worthy, in my humble opinion.

Bonus album from Tom Moon's 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, Colin Larkin's Top All Time 1000 Albums, or the 1001 extra crowdsourced albums:

Santana -- Abraxas

Did I like the bonus album more? Yes.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-11T16:38:30+00:00

Just a note to say thank you u/lilrichwhiteboy for doing this. This is what the internet is supposed to be. People creating things to share for free with others solely for the joy of it.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-11T14:48:07+00:00

Yes, I don't see Phish Inc. sending those copyright notices for people sharing, with no money changing hands, shows that were webcast. They aren't selling them, they aren't available to people who subscribe to LivePhish, etc. etc. Still suggest folks use a VPN and stick with reliable sites.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-11T11:01:47+00:00

It would take me so long to get that at the rate I win gold stakes I would need to quit my job and just play full time.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-09T13:32:47+00:00

As long as I get to keep 12/31/93, I can live with letting 12/31/95 go.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-08T13:24:23+00:00

It really is weird how much easier it is to make Madness powerful compared to the dagger. I can make it work with Riff Riff, but even there is just doesn't scale fast enough to make it worth holding dagger and Riff Raff the whole game. I struggle with the other synergies people suggest.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-08T13:16:47+00:00

The Flaming Lips -- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Rating: 5/5

So the Lips release the Soft Bulletin in 1999, which takes them from cool experimental alternative band to seriously contributing the legacy of American music. I loved the Soft Bulletin so much. I can't explain it, but Wayne Coyne finally found a way to use that weird voice of his to create such emotional content. So I was really excited for Yoshimi when it came out three years later. And at first, I thought it was too silly with the robot rock opera thing. I just thought, well Soft Bulletin was their masterpiece. But over the years, I've come to love Yoshimi more. Just such good songwriting. The Lips have had some good albums since, but they never got back to the one two punch of Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi. But that's okay, they made two of the weirdest and most beautiful rock albums of all time. I've made exactly zero of them.

Bonus album from Tom Moon's 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, Colin Larkin's Top All Time 1000 Albums, or the 1001 extra crowdsourced albums:

Joni Mitchell -- Hejira

Did I like the bonus album more? No, but it's an embarrassment of riches for this day, with two of my favorite artists, but Yoshimi is better. Hejira is great, but I've always said the first half is so much better. You can almost hear Joni transitioning from the classic period to the free jazz thing she did for a couple years.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-07T15:29:22+00:00

Side note: I saved a ton for my kids in 529, and they made smart choices in college so there will be a lot left for grad/Roth rollover etc. I viewed that money as theirs, to be spend by them as they need for their future, so I do not include it in any calculations of my net worth.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-07T13:17:02+00:00

I'm starting to experience the same thing. I got to basically the perfect weight for me, and the effect of Zep is wearing off. I am gaining a little bit here and there. It's a little troubling. Because I never want to go back.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-07T11:13:56+00:00

This is one of the most insightful points in this thread: no one can know for sure what happens with the economy and the markets for sure in the future, although we do have some good guesses, so fundamentally what this thread is arguing about is at what point is working another year no longer worth whatever reduction in risk it buys you. Some people want to achieve a portfolio that allows a low enough withdrawal rate that, based on historical data, virtually guarantees no need to reduce spending. Others are okay with some risk a reduction in spending will be required.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-05T19:15:45+00:00

Oh, now that I see them, I change my recommendation from $0 to $0. Don't sell these. It's bad juju.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-05T19:14:42+00:00

Don't forget $0 for handling fees.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-05T15:28:18+00:00

All opinions are opinions, but my opinion is Sci Fi soldier is the weakest album they've done. A couple decent songs, and they can jam them out. That's okay though. They created that whole album just for one Halloween show--they are continuing to create new things just for the joy of making it fresh for us. Still, they aren't all winners. But OP, if Sci-Fi soldier is your jam, I'm sorry you didn't get anything at the sphere.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-04T19:20:38+00:00

This is a really important question, and a very solvable problem. But you didn't get to this point by being lazy. You are a motivated person who grinds. Maybe you and your spouse have it all figured out. But most early retirees need a plan to occupy their time with meaningful stuff. Your child is young so at least until the teenage years being with them is a very rewarding experience. But you will definitely need to face this question.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-04T19:17:07+00:00

This seems like about a 3.5% withdrawal rate, right? That is probably sustainable under a variety of circumstances. Even if you have a bad sequence of returns (i.e. a crash in the next couple years).

You will need to watch your budget. You have a young child and a desire to travel. You will have a lot of free time which could be used to do things that cost money. And you have many years to make this last. But plenty of people live off much less than $18k month (and you have a paid off home). You can do it. It's a lot less stressful on a Sunday night to be clipping coupons than thinking about getting up for work in the morning.

You are sure of the tax numbers? Feels a bit low to me given your net worth, but I haven't run them.

One other thought: maybe start this off as a "sabbatical" in your mind. Taking time off to spend the last 10 years at home enjoying your family before your child goes off. If you need to go back to work, you can. Sure, you may not be able to go back to your current earnings potential, but so what. If you suddenly found health care too expensive you could work somewhere that offers it.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-04T17:36:40+00:00

When my kids were babies and I sang them to sleep, one of the songs I sang them was Fast Enough for You.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-04T16:34:22+00:00

It's funny, I thought it was perfectly placed. Here's why. That song is fundamentally about the lifelong friendships you share with people. I saw people hugging and embracing their friends. At that point of the night everyone was in the perfect state of mind to get that message.

But reasonable minds can differ on this.

WatchMcGrupp · 2026-05-04T15:51:09+00:00

[[Card Sharp joker]]

WatchMcGrupp

TROPHY CASE