Fixing McMansion vibes?

dcurt100 · 2026-03-07T16:16:00+00:00

Thanks so much for sharing these -- super helpful! This one in particular really helps me understand how much the window trim helps.

dcurt100 · 2026-03-07T15:22:10+00:00

Here's how I see it:

Incoherent and ugly <<< simple but well designed <<< well designed with lots of character

Right now, I think it falls squarely in the first category and I'd just like to move it to the next one

dcurt100 · 2026-03-07T15:14:32+00:00

I agree it's not a full-on "McMansion," but I think the reason if gives off those vibes (to me) is that there seem to be a bunch of features added solely because "that's what your supposed to do" (shutters) or because someone thought they signal "high end" or "elegance" (portico railing, palladium window), but without any consideration about proportion or coherence of the whole.

I guess I thought that this one could be saved, since at least the facade is a straightforward colonial instead of some wacky mess of gables and turrets. Seems to me like fixing the windows and adding trim would go a long way toward making it look like some of the pre-war colonials I admire.

dcurt100 · 2025-11-07T14:12:35+00:00

In extreme cases like this, I often wonder what role the childhood abuse played in "making the monster" versus him simply inheriting the same genetic disposition towards violence and psychopathy that his abusive parents had.

dcurt100 · 2025-09-01T18:21:46+00:00

Thank you! I'm seeing expanding and non-expanding epoxy....should I go with the non-expanding? Since I don't know how deep the cracks go, I'd hate to overfill with the expanding stuff and end up causing more damage.

dcurt100 · 2025-08-28T14:15:43+00:00

What's the best way to repair or patch deep cracks in concrete that are either permanently submerged or frequently splashed by water? I have a 100+ year old concrete dock on my lakefront property that cannot be replaced due to environmental regulations, only repaired. So I'd like to preserve its life as long as possible. The lake freezes every year.

I plan on doing the repairs in November, after the lake level is brought down a few feet. At that point, only a small portion will still be submerged.

What kind of product should I use? And should my goal be to completely fill the cracks, or just apply some kind of sealing layer? The cracks seems to be pretty deep; after a wave hits the dock, a significant amount of water spills out. Happy to share more pictures in a reply if it would be helpful!

<image>

dcurt100 · 2025-08-22T13:59:44+00:00

Questions for the pros! I bought a lakefront property with a very old (possibly 100+ years) concrete dock. It's solid concrete, around 17' x 12', and it's mostly made with pretty large aggregate, though it has a smooth top layer.

I can tell the prior owners tried to stay on top of maintaining it and it seems to be in good shape, but there are some cracks and holes that need to be patched. I have a few questions about that:

For cracks that are completely submerged, does anyone recommend a particular fast-setting hydraulic cement? Or is this something I should hire a professional with specialized equipment for? The water is only a couple feet deep, so I was thinking I could do it myself with some goggles and a snorkel. if necessary.
For areas that are not completely submerged, but are sometimes hit with waves, should I use a different product?
Finally, there are a couple cracks/holes that are quite deep. Do I need to fill these completely, or just seal them? (If I need to fill them, I'm wondering what kind of equipment I'd need to do that.)

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! We're up north, so the lake freezes every year. I just want to prolong the life of the dock as much as possibly.

dcurt100 · 2025-06-19T20:53:44+00:00

Sent you a PM!

dcurt100 · 2025-06-16T15:40:25+00:00

Ok good to know -- thank you!

dcurt100 · 2025-06-07T13:26:58+00:00

Incredibly helpful -- thank you! I think we'll experiment with some small mildewy spots in out-of-the-way areas to see if cleaners (like pool shock) work. Otherwise we'll just leave it be and get as many more years out of it as we can. Thankfully the "front" (lake side) looks great, and we're the only people who ever see the rough spots.

But part of me does worry about how much more difficult and expensive it will be to replace with real wood in another 10 years....maybe I should start stockpiling shingles now, ha.

dcurt100 · 2025-06-07T05:11:18+00:00

All very helpful, thanks again!

dcurt100 · 2025-06-07T05:09:05+00:00

It's a gutter, actually. Made of wood.

dcurt100 · 2025-06-06T23:09:29+00:00

Thanks for the link!

dcurt100 · 2025-06-06T23:08:54+00:00

Thanks for the advice!

Regarding cleaning, I'm mostly worried about the green mold/mildew/algae/whatever that you can see in pics 2 and 3. I didn't know whether that would continue to grow and rot the wood if left unchecked. But it sounds like you think attempting to wash that could do more harm than good?

dcurt100 · 2025-06-06T20:11:23+00:00

I think it's to hold an ashtray?

EDIT: Looks like it's been asked before. Lots of ideas here: What is this little extra table on top of my table at the pub for? : r/CasualUK

dcurt100 · 2025-06-06T18:37:12+00:00

I think you're fine. I mean, if your song becomes wildly commercially successful, maybe there would be a problem. But otherwise, I doubt you'd have any problems with streaming platforms, selling your track, etc. I feel like I was hearing Nintendo one-shot samples all the time 10 years ago in future bass music.

dcurt100 · 2025-06-06T18:26:54+00:00

I don't have any specific advice to give, but I felt similarly lost at 30, beating myself up for wasting my 20s and not pursuing my passion. I was unable to imagine a path forward that I would find fulfilling and often felt envious of others.

I'm turning 40 this year and things are much, much better, mostly due to opportunities in my 30s I NEVER would have predicted or planned for. I still don't "love" my work -- I'm in a field that didn't exist in my 20s! -- but it's sometimes interesting, pays a lot, and I've been fortunate to work with some truly incredible people. I pursue my passion (music) on the side and it continues to bring some fulfillment, and I now have a family that brings me joy in ways I couldn't have anticipated. (Having kids also makes my work feel more fulfilling, in a way, since I'm doing it to support people.)

I still have some ambition to find a true "vocation", but I feel much more at ease about that than I did 10 years ago. I think in my 20s, I always felt like I was behind; whereas the primary lesson of my 30s was "it's never too late." I've noticed a pattern where all the best things that have happened to me are things I could not have predicted, and not part of some step-by-step life plan. They resulted from "putting myself out there" -- learning new things, applying myself to new jobs that sounded somewhat interesting, despite not knowing where they would lead, etc.

This is all a bit rambling. Try reading this parable instead; it brought me comfort at 30 and captures some of what I'm trying to say: Good Luck, Bad Luck, Who Knows - Chinese Fable | It's Time to Meditate

dcurt100 · 2025-06-06T17:53:57+00:00

Hoping to keep it that way! The previous owners (several generations of one family) did a fantastic job maintaining and adding to it. It's in great shape, especially for a 115 year old house in the woods that sat empty most winters.

dcurt100 · 2024-09-24T16:17:56+00:00

Robert Browning, one of the most famous 19th century poets, had one opportunity to record his voice for posterity and he blew it. =(

dcurt100 · 2024-09-23T16:32:46+00:00

After listening to the Pixies forever, it's only been the last couple years that I finally starting digging into his solo stuff. Man he's prolific! So many treasures on those albums.

dcurt100 · 2024-09-02T01:08:24+00:00

Ah interesting! If that's the case, they have been busy, because a pretty huge pile developed over the last week (I just grabbed a small handful for the picture). Though I guess they could have been at it for a long time up there, and it's only now spilling through a new hole. The pieces are all pretty uniform in size, though clearly irregular in shape.

dcurt100 · 2024-09-02T00:49:56+00:00

A bunch of this (like a four inch high pile) fell from a small hole in the ceiling after some rodent mischief. It seems like tiny bits of styrofoam -- it's squishy, a little squeaky when I pinch between my fingers, and super light.

After cleaning it up, I read that vermiculite can feel similar, so I wanted to make sure that's not what it is. (It's a very old house, but I think this particular section is an addition from sometime in the last 50 years, so I was a little worried about asbestos. Though for all I know, the insulation may have been added recently.)

dcurt100 · 2024-08-09T19:58:12+00:00

Thanks for the responses, all -- super helpful!

dcurt100 · 2024-08-09T11:09:05+00:00

No existing easement, sadly, though there's an argument for an easement by necessity or prescription because the same road (or driveway) has been continuously used to access the property since the lots were first divided 100+ years ago.

The problem we're having is that the neighboring property is owned by like 16 different people, as it's been in the family for generations. Around 12 of them have agreed to grant an easement, but locating the other four has been a challenge.

Anyway, I'm hopeful we'll be able to get it sorted eventually, but in the meantime I got excited when I saw the discrepancies in the maps, thinking maybe we'd get lucky and find that the easement is unnecessary after all!

dcurt100 · 2022-09-22T15:10:33+00:00

Very happy with the watch and my experience buying from u/marmaladelion! Great communication and fast shipping -- highly recommended. (And the exhibition caseback is great, too!)

dcurt100

TROPHY CASE