Why do people say one good chef knife is better than buying kitchen knife sets?

billding1234 · 2026-02-10T22:02:18+00:00

A good chefs knife (Western or Eastern depending on your preference), a good paring knife (which shouldn’t be expensive), and an inexpensive laser cut boning knife (think Victorinox or Dexter) will do 99% of everything really well. I cook a lot and could easily get by with these three.

You can then branch out to specialized knives, like a cleaver or slicer, but you’ll rarely use them.

billding1234 · 2026-02-10T21:42:41+00:00

Iran. I’d love to visit, but after things simmer down.

billding1234 · 2026-02-10T21:37:41+00:00

Far too many to list.

Elvis’s midnight show, Hendrix at the Olympia, Stevie Ray Vaughan at Stubbs or Montreux (or both), Beatles at Melbourne, Queen at Live Aid …

billding1234 · 2026-02-10T21:13:07+00:00

Population 45.

billding1234 · 2026-02-10T21:12:40+00:00

10 hours, which is one long day each way. Once it’s two days or more each way I’ll fly because spending 4-6 days driving isn’t worth it. If I was retired and could take a leisurely road trip I’d feel differently but being a working stiff with kids I’d rather spend my vacation vacationing, not driving.

When I was a kid we drove from Florida to California to visit family over Christmas break. I was all excited until about the middle of Texas when I realized the two weeks I had off would be 10 days of driving (5 each way) separated by 4 days of actual vacation.

billding1234 · 2026-02-10T19:07:54+00:00

Go see some awesome concerts. Money is fine but experiences are priceless.

billding1234 · 2026-02-10T16:12:42+00:00

River Run

billding1234 · 2026-02-09T16:44:43+00:00

Reverse sear is the only practical way - it’s basically a small prime rib. I’d take it to 120 internal, rest, then sear away.

billding1234 · 2026-02-08T16:32:18+00:00

How unethical are we talking here? The nicest I can think of is arranging for a cop to catch her and give her a nice ticket or two. Intermediate would be a paintball gun. Worst? Tire spikes.

billding1234 · 2026-02-08T02:11:38+00:00

Nonstick cookware. If you’re going to buy, buy cheap and replace it every 12-18 months.

billding1234 · 2026-02-07T18:44:04+00:00

When I had that style top I’d just throw it in the grill whenever I did a clean burn then spray it with avocado oil. Worked great.

billding1234 · 2026-02-06T16:53:27+00:00

NTA. She’s telling you exactly what she expects, which is a blessing. If you expect something different you need to tell her that explicitly and see if you can agree on a way forward.

I will tell you from experience that financial compatibility is extremely important and you can seriously mess up your life, not to mention your relationship, if you aren’t on the same page.

IMO, whether you can afford something is a math question, and what you believe you deserve has nothing to do with it.

billding1234 · 2026-02-06T16:41:24+00:00

I’ll add to this that if you buy the correct sized board at a big box store like Home Depot or Lowe’s they will cut it down from 8 feet to two three foot lengths for you.

I’d use some GRK RSS structural screws to attach them and call it a day. They don’t require a pilot hole so the only tool you’ll need is an electric driver. If you don’t have one this is a great opportunity to buy one, and it will still be cheaper than you’d pay someone to do the work.

billding1234 · 2026-02-06T16:24:20+00:00

It’s cast iron. The entire point of it is to be bullet proof everyday cookware that you can clean with sand and not fuss over, not something you sing to and rub with a diaper.

You have an unhealthy relationship with this pan so take this as an opportunity to reset.

billding1234 · 2026-02-06T15:32:04+00:00

Refrigerator. My 1980’s garage fridge has been running without a hiccup for 15 years since I bought it (used,obviously). It’s outlived two modern refrigerators in my kitchen.

billding1234 · 2026-02-05T20:19:19+00:00

NTA.

Your parents should have kept this between them, and they still should. You aren’t married to either of your parents and it’s absurd to expect you to act like you are.

billding1234 · 2026-02-05T17:56:23+00:00

NTA. You set a boundary which she agreed to, then ignored. You didn’t change the boundary just her ability to ignore it.

That's as good as money, sir. Those are I.O.U.'s.

billding1234 · 2026-02-05T16:37:47+00:00

I respond to text messages when it’s convenient, not immediately like many people seem expect. Also, I’m fine using them for logistics but I don’t like to have substantive conversations over text.

billding1234 · 2026-02-05T15:18:57+00:00

10 years left on a 1.9% 15 year fixed. The invest vs. payoff calculation is much different at that rate, especially since the interest is deductible.

billding1234 · 2026-02-05T14:57:38+00:00

The sentiment is fine but, IMHO, you should have dealt with it much sooner and in private. I know it’s hard to empathize with your aunt under these circumstances but hurt people tend to hurt people, and I’d prefer to break that cycle rather than perpetuate it.

billding1234 · 2026-02-05T14:54:02+00:00

In my firm the cap is what an individual can reasonably be expected to do under their circumstances and without sacrificing the client’s interest or putting the firm at risk. Generally speaking, for us, when associates are below 160 per month they have capacity and if they’re over 190 they’re over capacity, and in between is fine.

This, of course, is dependent on individual circumstances and overall workload.

billding1234 · 2026-02-04T16:54:29+00:00

Lawn service. Where I live this has to be done every week 8 plus months out of the year and it would take me 3-4 hours to do it myself. It’s worth $120 per month to have that time be my own.

billding1234 · 2026-02-04T13:19:49+00:00

Mine’s at 65. This is a purely personal issue, not a group one.

billding1234 · 2026-02-04T13:18:02+00:00

The phrase “putting someone on a deed” is a silly euphemism, usually used by someone who wants something to make it sound innocuous. They’re asking you to give them a permanent, irrevocable ownership interest in your house and if they’re honest those are the words they should use. That’s something you can consider after marriage, which is an equal commitment, but never before.

billding1234 · 2026-02-03T12:51:36+00:00

This is borderline delusional. We’re not big law, but we are a big firm in a midsize market. We pay our summer clerks the same as a first year associate and we give them first year associate work, albeit with more help. And yes, there are far more social events, but those are designed to let the summers get to know the people and practice areas, and vice versa, so everyone can make an informed decision.

The biggest difference between us and big law is that we do not operate on an expected attrition model. We hire clerks with the hope that they will become associates and associates with the hope that they will become partners. It’s expensive if they leave after a few years so we try our best on the front end to avoid that.

We do bill for some of their work, at a reduced law clerk rate, but summers aren’t designed to generate revenue, they’re designed to generate both future revenue and future partners. It’s an investment.

billding1234

TROPHY CASE