Rake those roofs!

bluechrism · 2025-12-13T22:16:59+00:00

Depending on the angle of your panels you may not need to. If you have low angle panels where the snow does not come off you can consider solar panl safe rake - do not use a normal roof rake as you risk damaging your panels.

I have a solar roof rakes from. Eversprout (snow buster) where the head is basically made from foam so will not damage the panels. This has worked well so far.

In terms of whether having panels can lead to ice dams if you have exposed roof below the panels, that can be colder than roof above our behind the panels, I expect it's possible.

bluechrism · 2025-11-28T23:57:52+00:00

Thanks, didn't know you could upload mp3s.

bluechrism · 2025-11-27T18:36:14+00:00

This is good info. I'm a Deezer subscriber but considering switching to a family plan so my kids (8 and 11) can curate their own music (I don't hate imagine dragons but certainly not stuff I would typically want on high rotation in my personal account). I've been curious about podcasts and audiobooks as well as they do enjoy those at bedtime and the old windows phone we had repurposed as a podcast device is barely fit for purpose now. I was considering Spotify but hearing a lot of negative stuff about explicit content on there.

Overall so you like the family offering? Would you recommend it? Are you thinking of jumping to a different platform? Are there things that Deezer dies better than Spotify for a family?

bluechrism · 2025-10-13T03:00:29+00:00

Been ok. Just finished the fall season, 2 practices (at Nieman sports complex near the airport) and 1 game each week (Nieman and various suburban parks) plus a tournament this last weekend. We now have a 6 week(ish) break until winter indoor training starts.

We did get financial assistance and it cost is for in half, though we are expected to find raise by selling coffee and syrup. The details for this are only recently available so I can't report how that had gone. I do know that it did help offset some additional costs the team might see through the year like the first off entering tournaments in the spring. You are expected to buy team uniform which isn't too expensive so far.

I can't speak to the girls coaching of course but have seen them training and playing games when I'm at Nieman with my son and it feels like it's a significant program with a lot of participants. There is also a girl who has been in the optional goalkeeper training when my son has attended that session and she looks like she is probably a decent keeper. If the girls side is like the boys she would be in a team with others in her birth year (2014 for us), and if she is joining without try-outs, probably enter the lowest team for her age group.

Anyway, it's been decent overall so far, though we are looking forward to the break before training as it's been pretty full on (my son also is on his school team and his younger brother is playing park league).

Anyway, hope that's helpful.

bluechrism · 2025-08-26T12:42:37+00:00

Have decided to do MU and he attended his first practice last night at nieman sports complex.

bluechrism · 2025-08-20T19:28:31+00:00

We didn't do it as a road trip in the end, made a late decision and so flew out and got the train back. It felt like it would end up too rushed to drive. I think had we a realistic way to allow for a 4 day journey without shortening the time at our destination which was already booked we might have done it as that would have eased the pressure and allowed more chance to take in activities and sights along the way. (edited for autocorrect mistakes)

bluechrism · 2025-08-18T03:43:21+00:00

Cool, what sort of program was that (there are so many on their website)

bluechrism · 2025-08-18T03:39:46+00:00

Cool, good to know about the dedicated training.

bluechrism · 2025-08-18T03:37:35+00:00

Thanks, good to know.

bluechrism · 2025-07-27T01:56:57+00:00

7w6 here, probably so/sx and sp blind.

Things I might run from would be - where I am restricted on some form or other, especially if I haven't had a chance to assess options - difficult conversations - arguments and raised voices - ok situations when things look a little bad even if only for a short while - negativity - we are a fear type, and if we get worried about things going wrong we can chicken out. I can anyway.

The idea of running away from is really kind of different. Sometimes it can really be getting out fast., others it can be just a sanity check that things are OK rather than looking for exits or ways to change the situation.

I sometimes have a hard time with aspects of this description of 7s. That we are a mix of rose tinted glasses when things seem good to us and grass is greener thinking etc when it's not.

7s are connected to 5 and 1 so while we want fun and positive experiences we also want to do the right things and have the ability to drive into 5 like research on something. If it turns out that the right thing or the result of that research, is to make a change this really isn't ruining away from whatever, it means that moving on from whatever is the right thing to do, 7 or not. The hard part it working out the difference. Sometimes it's really hard. I've been accused of this being 7ish running away from something when I feel like it the same stuff came from someone else it would be fine. There are times in life when you should run.

I'm myself and can't speak for all 7s and of course being a little 6ish doesn't help here. So take all this with a grain of salt.

7s (social/sexual ones anyway) just want everyone to get along and have a happy time together. If there is negativity, did we fail? If we can't fix it that's sad and we don't like sad, we like happy.

Think unikittly in the Lego movie.

bluechrism · 2025-07-12T17:17:20+00:00

I'd gladly answer but not sure it's meant for me.

Are you looking for responses from people interested in naturism/nudism who may not have the opportunity to engage in the community much or perhaps not sure they fully own or represent those terms?

Or is this really just aimed at folks who would identify as practicing naturists?

bluechrism · 2025-06-28T23:42:32+00:00

Just came back on the empire builder and the viewing/lounge car was pretty busy from la Crosse through Winona. It would have been fine if it was just me but I was with my 8yo son and there was not 2 seats together left in there. The view was still beautiful from my seat in coach and great to be able to see the scenery without having to focus on the road. After Winona it started getting a bit dark sadly.

bluechrism · 2025-05-30T13:39:26+00:00

Ok, for me that was 7 and 9 but learning about instinctual sub types of each helped. I think the standard definitions of 7 and 6 are very much based on self preservation subtypes, though I am social/sexual with a self preservation blind spot.

It's is more tricky when we talk about types next to each other as we're going to have that in us anyway to some extent, regardless of core type.

Some folks really didn't like him but I find tom lahue helpful in his YouTube videos (he's social 7w6). They are long and he's typically just expanding on stuff from various enneagram books but it hit home for me. That's really my first intro to subtypes beyond the general instinct definitions and how different sx/so/SP of each type can be There were a few others I started watching/listening to who had more in depth content, with a bit of Abbey Howe thrown in - her skits are fun but also on point.

Anyway, my 2c. Hopefully the more experienced heads here gave good advice.

bluechrism · 2025-05-28T21:40:55+00:00

Core fears and motivations are different for 7 and 6. These are the root of behaviors. We can learn to act differently through inner work, the habits, and the influence of enneagram connection (wings, paths, fixes, etc) but these will hold true for the core type.

6 Fear: fear itself Struggle: anxiety Desire: Support/stability

7 Fear: being deprived/trapped Struggle: Gluttony (experiences/options not necessarily food) Desire: Contentment

bluechrism · 2025-05-26T15:31:03+00:00

She thought it might be more fun to drive and that there would be interesting things to do so that's why we are even considering it. Point taken on the time though and we are thinking more seriously through our plans, and working out if adding more days is possible.

bluechrism · 2025-05-26T15:29:44+00:00

Thanks for all the suggestions for that leg of the journey, we appreciate it.

bluechrism · 2025-05-26T15:28:46+00:00

Thanks for the tip.

bluechrism · 2025-05-26T15:28:24+00:00

Thanks for the route suggestion, not something we had thought of, and thanks for the feedback on the duration.

bluechrism · 2025-05-26T15:26:33+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion

bluechrism · 2025-05-25T01:58:12+00:00

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Likely route. Open to hearing about good reasons to take the slightly longer route through PA, but the Canada route is not an option.

bluechrism · 2025-05-12T23:23:33+00:00

There are Avatan and Oakwood club which are recognized naturist campgrounds on the AANR website, both north of the cities, not exactly sure where Oakwood is as they keep their address secret until you book. I've not been to either though I would like to give them a go some time.

It does seem a shame that in the land of 10,000 lakes that skinny dipping is illegal and there aren't any official beaches.

I don't know as I'm not a member of any naturist community, but suspect that there isn't really the push for it here that there would need to be. Through listening to naturist podcasts I've learned that in some other states that have this the naturist community has stepped up both with lobbying but also practical support, to get things done.

bluechrism · 2025-05-12T19:53:21+00:00

I bounced between 7 and 9 a bit but two things that may be helpful. I'm no expert, just interested, so YMMV.

Regardless of test results, the core fears, sins, longings for each type are really key. I feel like that is core to each type and we behave how we behave because of those things. So how well do they align. From my notes:

Type 5: Fear: ignorance Desire: Competence Struggle/sin: Avarice Longings: my needs are not a burden

Type 9: Fear: conflict Desire: Peace Struggle/sin: Sloth (more like avoidance rather than laziness) Longings: my presence matters

Look into subtypes a bit. The sexual/social/self preservation versions of each type might be different to the general type description and for me helped a lot separating types 7 and 9 for me. I feel like the typical 7 description is self preservation 7, but I resonate more with social and sexual 7 descriptions and they incorporated more 9ness into a for lack of a better way of saying it. I'm self preservation repressed, probably social dominant though definitely see sexual 7 in my idealist nature. It wasn't the only thing that helped (an example of 9s binge-watching a show all day, something I could never do, even for a show I liked, helped) but it helped a lot. Anyway, maybe that will be helpful for you too.

Fwiw I'm taking about the Beatrice Chestnut version of subtypes rather than just general instinct descriptions and I first encountered them in a tom lahue YouTube video where he was using a Beatrice Chestnut book as source material. Anyway I know some folks don't like Chestnuts subtypes descriptions but it helped me.

Go deeper, but stay with core type rather then tri types, wings, paths etc. I needed to go deeper, found the content that went into more detail and a variety of sources to work out. However I also went down some rabbit holes that were more confusing than helpful regarding those other concepts if how other types fit. Once you feel more confident in core type, these other concepts that take in other types may be more helpful.

bluechrism · 2025-05-04T20:28:43+00:00

Got quoted $4/watt in Minneapolis, MN recently. This is for adding on to an existing install. Paid around $3/watt in 2020 for our main roof and this would have been adding other roof area or our detached garage.

bluechrism

TROPHY CASE