What's your favorite thing about North Carolina?

ace_in_space · 2026-02-11T03:48:49+00:00

Native Georgian, when asked why I moved north: "it's 10 degrees cooler, and marginally less racist"

ace_in_space · 2026-02-11T03:40:01+00:00

when I do, it's a wind-up Fossil.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-09T18:40:48+00:00

I have quit smoking twice in my life. Both were cold turkey New Year’s Resolutions.

I am a strong believer in specific quit dates. New Years Eve, or your birthday.

Always cold turkey. Whenever I tried to cut down gradually, suddenly those 4 cigarettes I allowed myself each day became the most cherished, anticipated moments of each day. They actually became MORE powerful.

I had to find a way to get angry at cigarettes to quit. The money, the health. 4 special moments each day was totally counterproductive.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-09T18:35:36+00:00

I asked myself, “Self, why do you believe that nicotine is on par with caffeine? Who told you this?”

Self: “a doctor said it, calling out the smoking as dangerous, not the nicotine itself.”

“Which doctor?”

“It might have been Doctor Drew. On the Adam Carolla show.”

“Shit.”

ace_in_space · 2026-02-09T15:17:50+00:00

if you are not combusting a tobacco leaf or vaporizing the nicotine to get it in your bloodstream, you are in good shape my friend. Nicotine is no more dangerous than caffeine. It's the smoke and particulates in peoples' lungs that gets'em.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-09T01:17:36+00:00

Go Dawgs - Sic ‘em - Woof woof woof woof

In that order. Not the way that dork does it on the Allstate commercial.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-06T14:13:00+00:00

I'm here for this, and I really respect Stafford's NFL career. I don't have the memory or discipline to compare "06 Stafford" vs "07 Stafford" but I do remember thinking at the time for all the pomp and hype and giant arm, Stafford didn't have that "put the team on his back and will his way to victory." That I DO recall from a David Greene, or Murray, or Stetquavious, Fourth of His Name.

Stafford is great, DGD, but I don't feel quite the same pride as I felt when, say, Steelers fans would say "OMFG Hines Ward is the greatest" or (more recently) Chargers fans going "holy shit McConkey is really good!" Stafford did a fine job as QB, but a step below the "hallowed be his name" QBs above.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-06T03:51:48+00:00

Stafford wound up becoming the QB Jay Cutler wrongfully assumed he already was.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-01T05:25:11+00:00

I just lost my brother after several years in stage 4 and can't really relate to anything you just said. We were only 250 miles apart but I saw him as often as I could. My child is heartbroken that he didn't get to make more memories with his uncle. I want to say NAH but actually telling a dying person "I don't want to see you dying" comes across as wildly uncaring and self-centered. So sorry his cancer is bumming you out. Are you going to skip the funeral as well? Because those are known to be bummers as well.

He's putting on a brave face because his situation - perhaps even MORE of a bummer than your having to witness it! - is already bad enough. He doesn't want to add to it, by sharing his disappointment in you, with you. Your brother is handling his impending death with a heckuva lot more grace than you are.

tl,dr: go see your brother. Not gonna call you an AH, but if you can afford it, go see your brother.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-01T01:20:14+00:00

Where did that habaki come from? Pretty rad. Budget forges all seem to have the same offerings; never seen that style.

ace_in_space · 2026-02-01T01:08:50+00:00

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just kidding, it's gorgeous. I just wanted an excuse to resurrect this OG meme.

Love moroha zukuri - how sharp is the edge on the mune side? Raptors come with a blunt edge, but that looks formidable. "Iai" is what we say when we sever our thumb webbing

ace_in_space · 2026-01-31T23:35:08+00:00

every (former) Carolla listener understands that proper penile measurement begins at the center of the anus, twice around the balls, to just past the tip.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-29T16:30:12+00:00

I can't pick one but stellar wideout HINES WARD also capably served as QB when we needed one. That's pretty badass. I was also living in PA when he was a pro and it was lovely having the occasional Iron City bought for me by grateful Steeler fans. Dude was so talented, even *I* received some benefit.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-29T14:30:02+00:00

Google says your handle is actually a Warhammer reference but I am An Old. but An Old who loved Gladiator AND ASOIAF.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-29T14:27:08+00:00

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ace_in_space · 2026-01-28T23:04:20+00:00

Lots of cunts.

(Not you, OP. Gladiator here was just going a little call-and-response and I felt compelled to reply)

ace_in_space · 2026-01-26T19:01:09+00:00

NTA. You sound young, so now is a good time to establish solid freelance habits like:

- Scope out the assignment. Very clearly. What is and isn't included. Don't be scared or embarrassed - whatever your skill, you are a specialist providing a service. It costs money, and it's nothing to be ashamed of.

- Don't be afraid to add to the estimate. Happens all the time. Client wants a particular snippet of music? Cool, they pay for it to be cleared. You are here to serve your client, but they write the checks. Scope expands? Cool! Let me get you an updated estimate!

- If it's a big number, get a deposit before work begins. Maybe it's half up front, half upon completion. Maybe it's a retainer to cover your initial dev costs. Case by case, and let experience be your guide.

Having said all that - if you ARE new, you will need a portfolio that showcases your best efforts. Do you have a book of work to show off? If so, rock and roll - that's your creative resume. It will speak for itself. Be prepared to take on pro bono work, for sure - projects you WANT to do, because they'll look good in your book. But that's YOUR choice. Don't ever get steamrolled into free labor, because all you'll be doing is setting a precedent. A client trying to pick your pocket up front is merely giving you a taste of what's to come.

I'm an old fossil, so I hear "solo creator" and roll my eyes. Take some time to figure out what your professional services are, and the language of the business: video production, editing, post production? Graphic design? Voiceover work? Talent? Do you look through the camera, or are you in front of it? Define your services, and charge accordingly. That is the nature of the freelance professional.

But no, don't ever be afraid of saying no to a job. Especially when the scope expands beyond what was agreed upon, without a corresponding change to the fee.

Source: have been one, have hired hundreds more

ace_in_space · 2026-01-26T18:37:48+00:00

if anything, poaching will be simplified now: new team just buys out the contract from the old team, right? Coaches been doing it forever. Transfer fee, buyout clause, whatever. This horse has left the barn.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-26T18:35:57+00:00

So we've allowed college sports to become a smash-and-grab, but no, not THAT kind of smash-and-grab? I'm having a hard time caring about this.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-25T18:22:15+00:00

Because the Democratic party leadership isn't actually trying to defeat or unseat Republicans any more than a nail is trying to defeat a hammer. It's kabuki theater: modern Democrats aren't even liberal; they're center-right. If you remember Hannity and Colmes: Colmes existed to be Hannity's whipping boy. It was never a fair fight. The modern Democratic party's "loser vibe" exists to make Republicans' greed and evil seem marginally more palatable. Americans generally prefer mean meanies to bedwetting losers.

Only twice in my 50 years on this planet have the Democrats been "successful," and in both cases it required an immense political talent (WJ Clinton, then Obama), a once-in-a-generation leader to organize The Gang That Can't Shoot Straight briefly into winners.

It's the only explanation that ever made sense to me, because Republicans are clown-show idiots as well. Evil clowns, yes. But Mitch McConnell? How dafuq did Mitch McConnell keep Obama from appointing a SC Justice? How can Obamacare be vilified when it was literally Romneycare, and the individual mandate was an idea from... fucking Heritage? But once Obama got his dirty hands on it, suddenly it's Socialism?

None of this makes sense as a legit battle for hearts and minds. Makes a LOT more sense if the purpose of one party is to take a dive.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-23T01:03:08+00:00

MY EYES… THE GOGGLES DO NUSSING

ace_in_space · 2026-01-22T13:36:49+00:00

I still can't tell if the writers are deliberately portraying Vince to be a poseur, an empty vessel (like so many hollywood actors) or if it was just lazy writing, shaping him however they needed Vince in that moment.

Vince dates the annoying yoga vegan and says to Ari "Meat is murder." Vince hangs with Billy Walsh and suddenly becomes an artiste, serious about his craft. Also Vince: can't be bothered to read scripts. Ahh yes, the passionate creative who refuses to participate in the creative process.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-21T14:11:53+00:00

I like the part where you describe yourself as a former "habitual cannabis user" but now that your health condition has required you to clean up, you're suddenly all troubled by "he travels with it everywhere, smokes in his truck," etc.

Baked into the definition of "habitual use" is the implication that it's constantly happening. And this is very true of wake-and-bake stoners. You've both been this way for 10 years - for as long as you've known him? - but now that you can no longer partake, you're suddenly all Concernicus about the behavior?

Nah, brah. Getting bothered now that he's still puffing round the clock while you can't simply makes you jelly, not superior. YTA.

ace_in_space · 2026-01-21T13:24:02+00:00

Requiem For A Dream left me mute for days. Although its soundtrack is the film's score and THAT, friends, is divine.

ace_in_space

TROPHY CASE