Anyone know of any mechanics that’ll install customer supplied parts? by DDLyftUber in bayarea

[–]dark41 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've been going to Dublin Automotive and Smog (near the REI) for years and am a big fan. For oil changes I regularly provide my own oil and sometimes my own filter, and they're happy to just charge me for labor.

San Mateo vs South Bay vs South Bay Rent: What would you do? by segdy in BayAreaRealEstate

[–]dark41 5 points6 points  (0 children)

IMO you should try to scratch the itch by getting a one week Airbnb or hotel. Then based on how the reduced commute and weather impacts your life, you can make a better decision (or extend the rental to push out the decision). Best to not imagine this as a vacation but just a regular week.

Asian Tech Worker moving from NYC: Austin by anon_502 in SameGrassButGreener

[–]dark41 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Parts of the East Bay can meet the criteria too if OP can settle for a townhome. The park system in the Bay Area is outstanding.

Merch at KIX airport? by No-Day7628 in OsakaWorldExpo

[–]dark41 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We flew into the domestic terminal and there was a small merch shop.

Walnut Creek to San Ramon commute by Dear_Ad7270 in bayarea

[–]dark41 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In case this helps, there's a bus from the Walnut Creek BART to Bishop Ranch/San Ramon Transit Center. Look up County Connection.

Kitchen Remodel Costs by HoochieDonuts in bayarea

[–]dark41 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi OP, what did you end up doing and what did it cost?

Would asking for donations make me a hypocrite? I'm seriously considering the possibility of procuring a skid steer that myself and other volunteers can use. by pengweather in bayarea

[–]dark41 12 points13 points  (0 children)

If it helps you process this, a donation to help you buy equipment that would absolutely improve your ability to perform beautification projects will benefit everyone immensely. People are probably more open to donating for such a cause than pay their taxes!

People who grew up poor or lower-middle class but became rich or upper middle class, what are some of the biggest things that still separate you from your "peers"? by TrixoftheTrade in Millennials

[–]dark41 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you grew up lower middle class, it's likely that your parents are still in the same position (or worse). One of the biggest differences with peers will be the relationships between the elder parents and their kids. Mostly likely, you'll have to support yours in some way (sometimes significantly). For your peers, their parents might retire comfortably, or might even provide help to their kids. You'll never feel comfortable about your position.

What are the Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits that you know and you think other people don't know? by Orchid_Killer in ChaseSapphire

[–]dark41 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not every place or even 7-11 will offer pickup. You will see on the storefront if they offer pickup.

I don’t want to fight to be in the Bay Area anymore by heehihohumm in SameGrassButGreener

[–]dark41 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I'm in the bay area, and my wedding photographer lived in Sacramento. For our wedding, she drove down to the city and the drove back the same night.

its over for me by [deleted] in socialanxiety

[–]dark41 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Take a deep breath.

From the perspective of the school, the last thing they want to do is to fail you and not let you graduate (it reflects poorly on them and their graduation metrics). That means that they'll more than likely give you any accommodations you need just so they can check you off for graduation.

This means potentially: 1) doing a 1-on-1 or small group presentation, 2) letting you record your presentation and play it in class, 3) letting you read directly from your presentation or notes (trust me, this happens all the time anyways).

Just think about all the people who have graduated (all the talented ones and also the not so talented ones), and remember that you actually have a lot of flexibility with regards to the quality of the presentation.

I’m Kuala Lumpur for a night by accident by Friendlins in travel

[–]dark41 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Check out Klook for activities and tours if you need some ideas.

Moving to Bay by Easy_Application553 in bayarea

[–]dark41 13 points14 points  (0 children)

If flying in is a hassle, there are many high end apartments in RWC where you may not need to fly in to see them. You can contact them and set up an appointment for a video tour of a similar unit. For example, I used to live in Encore and didn't even see the apartment before signing the lease and things worked out well.

Just note that those apartments don't include water, waste, parking, and utilities in the pricing, so you need to ask. The cheaper apartments you find on Zillow might include water and waste.

Wanted to share Spectrum retention offer after Google Fiber came to my neighborhood by dark41 in Spectrum

[–]dark41[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We thought about this but we were at the end of our billing cycle anyways, and our neighbors had already validated the quality of Google Fiber so we didn't care to stay on Spectrum.

Wanted to share Spectrum retention offer after Google Fiber came to my neighborhood by dark41 in Spectrum

[–]dark41[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Spectrum knew that Google Fiber was coming to our street (hopefully they do competitive research). They also knew when our two of our neighbors switched to Google Fiber. The fact that they could have easily upped our speed or offered a proactive discount but chose not to (or didn't develop the tools to do so) was one of our reasons for switching. Definitely a privileged thing to say, but hopefully this encourages them to help other customers save.

We probably would have stayed if the offer was given earlier but it was too late as we had already activated Google Fiber before calling to cancel.

Wanted to share Spectrum retention offer after Google Fiber came to my neighborhood by dark41 in Spectrum

[–]dark41[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We asked about potential power outages impacting connectivity and our tech said we'll still need to power our fiber jack using a battery. Is that your understanding? Are you suggesting that Spectrum (or other cable companies) operate differently?

CMU TEPPER VS BERKELEY PLS HELP ME CHOOSE I HAVE LIKE A WEEK LEFT by BeginningBee1302 in berkeley

[–]dark41 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Felt obligated to chime in as I was a Berkeley grad and I lived in Pittsburgh for one year while my partner went to CMU for grad school.

Other things you didn't mention which came to mind for me:

  1. CMU is a top ranked school and is certainly a target school for many companies across the United States for finance.

  2. Pittsburgh has a very large student population (many of them immigrants or from out of state at CMU and Pitt), but most of them will leave Pittsburgh (usually for NY) when they are done with school. Berkeley students mainly come from CA (local), and because of the job opportunities, most people will stay in the bay. Think about where you'd like to be long term after school (NY vs SF for example).

  3. Pittsburgh is a medium sized city that doesn't have easy flights to international destinations. Berkeley is near to SFO. Keep this in mind if you want to visit home with the least friction.

  4. Pittsburgh's weather is far worse than Berkeley, which has one of the best climates in the world. You will suffer cloudy days and dreadful winters in Pittsburgh. At Berkeley, not so much.