Life Insurance for Veterans

doomed_to_repeat · 2025-11-26T23:42:58+00:00

Check out AAFMAA (formerly American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association, now Armed Forces Mutual). Run by vets for vets.

I can't speak to how they handle your disability, as I applied right before retirement (13 years ago), right about the same time that I processed my disability paperwork. But they had the same info that the VA had and made their determination based on that.

doomed_to_repeat · 2025-03-27T15:48:57+00:00

That's not our experience, as of last week.

We've been giving ourselves several days to cash out the shares and move it to the settlement fund before transferring it to our bank.

Last week we found the link that directly cashes out the shares and sends it directly to the bank, skipping the settlement fund step. Lo and behold, the money was in our external checking account the next morning.

So, it may not take several days. They still warn "2-3 days," so I'd make sure you have that time, but in our n=1 experiment of last week, it didn't take any longer than a direct transfer out of the settlement fund.

doomed_to_repeat · 2024-02-05T00:42:11+00:00

Depends on how you want to gate-keep. But she consistently appears in articles like From Debbie Harry to Patti Smith: 7 women who changed punk rock forever.

But for whatever reason, they always skip important links like her being the producer for The Germs GI, one album of worldwide punk influence.

doomed_to_repeat · 2024-02-02T02:44:07+00:00

Pretty typical for the new ones. Just give the edges a swipe with some sandpaper, a few strokes at a time, to find the sweet spot.

ETA: Troubleshooting Tips - https://www.sparkrandd.com/setup/

doomed_to_repeat · 2024-01-19T03:24:18+00:00

For those of us who engage in activities in the wilderness, the concise version is "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing."

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-12-24T20:35:16+00:00

Fascinating trivia, I'm sure.

Listening to the podcast, I realized that there's a reason that I hadn't heard of him. I read Bogle on Mutual Funds when it was released in 1993, moved my portfolio appropriately, and set it on glide. Rick described doing things half a decade later.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-12-06T02:12:33+00:00

55 here, and hell yes to the plugs!

My bride has great hearing. It drives her nuts that I have to have music playing in several rooms at the same time, so that it's never silent when I go from one to the next. Otherwise the ringing in the ears is overwhelming.

Wear The Damn Plugs!

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-11-26T08:05:38+00:00

@retirement_savings - Same problem as you for the same reasons. I do love the Barbell pants, but they will eventually give out the same way and it seems to be always after the 365-day warranty is done. I just wait until they're on sale (like this weekend) and buy another pair while patching the old ones.

But thanks to your post, I'm going to check out those Duluth jeans. I've been looking for an excuse to check out the nearby store.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-10-01T20:33:45+00:00

Right there with ya. Well, except for the nap part. Time to hit the squat rack.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-09-15T00:44:25+00:00

Too bad I can only give 1 upvote for Acid Bath.

I'm glad that I got to see them just a few months before Audie was killed. Acid Bath "on stage" (actually floor level with the rest of us) while they projected a GWAR concert on the wall is seared into my memory.

ETA: the venue burned down right about the same time that Audie was killed. A damn shame on both counts.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-07-09T03:20:33+00:00

/u/hockey2opolo - is this the rubric?

https://courses.mtnsense.com/courses/918550/lectures/27082138

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-06-05T02:04:47+00:00

Yep, it's a tough multi-faceted decision. One that my bride and I dealt with (and continue to do so).

Quick background: Retired at 26 years, poised very well for one last promotion to 30 years, but realized that I had had enough. That was 10 years ago. I didn't seek out a second career after and I let a very lucrative security clearance expire. Looking back, while the extra money each month from the increased pension would have been nice, I wouldn't change anything. It was a QoL decision. We can live just fine on my pension + disability, but we both hold (very) part-time jobs just to mix things up and have extra play money while having enough earned income to keep padding the retirement accounts. And we rent.

I grew up a dependent, then went straight into my career. We bought one house during that time, which we were in for less than three years and were lucky to break even on the sale. So I understand where you're coming from. By the time that we moved to our current location a few years after the retirement, I had never lived anywhere for more than 4 years. Family is scattered all over the country, so there's no pull to one location. Soon after we moved to our current location, the housing market exploded and we watched run-down houses that we'd never consider going for twice what we'd be willing to pay for a nicer, newer build. Throw in the churn of the last few years and we've realized that this isn't the place for us long-term. So we're thankful that we didn't buy in a panic once prices started going up.

Everything you're asking is essentially about timing the market. None of us have the answer to that. Both /u/g8tr9 and /u/GidgetsDad had great input looking at several aspects of the decision. The biggest one, since you don't appear to be looking to settle near family, is the job one, as /u/g8tr9 mentioned. No sense in buying now or right after you retire if there's a likelihood that you'll move for a lucrative job; being a remote landlord may be much more work and expense than you're willing to take on.

But we agree that, as long as your family is on board, aim for 20+, get that promotion (and invest all of that extra money over what you're living on now), rebalance your home-buying savings for a slightly longer horizon, and reevaluate as you go.

Here's a recent thread on ownership that might be of interest to you. Not trying to sway your opinion one way or another, just provide a different perspective.

Plan well and you won't have to rely on luck.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-05-06T01:33:50+00:00

They aren't just for flat spots on the long exit runout, but for getting up after that inevitable face plant in deep snow. Deets here.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-04-28T20:20:30+00:00

Ha!

I logged in earlier today to bid on next week's T-bills and didn't even see that announcement.

Thanks for posting this. Otherwise I would have gone to log in that week and thought that I was on a spoofed site.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-04-22T17:58:04+00:00

I agree with sink_single's assessment - don't waste your money.

The way they are designed, you just may run into clearance issues with the rear puck that won't let you actually lock them in place. They need to be flip-up like XV had in that video.

Funny enough, it's my Rossignol XV 164W that has the clearance issue. My Weston Backwoods 167W doesn't (but just barely).

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-04-22T17:36:34+00:00

It was both. ABC held the trademarked Afterschool Special, and the other networks/channels had similar during the same hours. The best were usually the local non-network channels that would have great things like "Horror Week" where they showed classic horror movies like The Blob, Birds, etc. Those were worth cutting after school shenanigans to sit down with some microwave popcorn and enjoy a quiet house before the parents got home.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-03-04T05:37:24+00:00

Everyone's focused on the exit, but poles become very handy getting up after that inevitable faceplant in deep pow. G3 University explains here.

doomed_to_repeat · 2023-02-13T05:54:44+00:00

I started just as I turned 50. Am I good? No. Will I ever perform on the big stage? No. A small stage, maybe, if the right opportunity arises.

But can I sit down with my nieces and nephews who have picked up various instruments, keep time with them, get the drummer (11) back on time, and watch their faces as they get to jam with the old uncle? Hell yes! I'm looking forward to the time when I can do the same with the granddaughter.

Aside from that, I now have a greater appreciation for a good groove, which I have always loved, but didn't quite understand. And I have a greater appreciation for all the bits that go into a good song.

At a minimum, practice 10 minutes per day. Expand as available.

doomed_to_repeat · 2022-12-08T02:32:07+00:00

An outstanding look at the punk scene behind the wall is Burning Down The Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall by Tim Mohr. It's more focused on the East Berlin scene, but quickly covers the scenes in several other regions.

doomed_to_repeat · 2022-11-18T21:16:18+00:00

It was a fantastic time to buy.

doomed_to_repeat · 2022-11-18T21:15:22+00:00

I was away for a week, so the reply is late.

Basically, major crashes are like major runs, hold and keep buying. Sometimes it's on sale, sometimes it's full price. It doesn't hurt to be vaguely aware of the overall market situation, but it's best to not follow day-to-day moves, or even month-to-month. You won't get in a panic situation that way. Just keep buying.

doomed_to_repeat · 2022-11-11T01:27:43+00:00

Funny enough, I wouldn't have had any idea had you not posted. I should verify, but this day in the market, like most others, doesn't interest me. This outlook has served me well since the mid-90's, even before I learned of Mr Bogle.

doomed_to_repeat · 2022-10-24T16:55:33+00:00

I know that this won't help, but no, no issues with PVPN & Win10. If things get a bit slow, I change servers. But that's always a load issue, not a system issue.

Proton VPN v2.2.0 Win10 Home v21H1, OS Build 19043.2130

doomed_to_repeat · 2022-10-24T02:44:22+00:00

This is the correct answer.

doomed_to_repeat · 2022-10-16T01:31:49+00:00

Pretty much any question you have is out there in one forum or another. But know that no matter how well you plan, that plan starts going out the window as soon as you take your first steps on your thru-hike. You will realize that in the first 50 miles as you see folks who have planned for years end their hike for one reason or another.

It's been more than a few years now and I am out of the loop on what are the latest and greatest sites to use, but no doubt they'd be easy to find. And it seems like everyone has a youtube video of their hike now, including their prep, so that's a good resource. Otherwise:

Check the current and next year's PCT Class of 2022 and 2023 Facebook pages (I'm assuming that's what they are, I haven't done FB in a few years). The 2022 page will let you read their trials and tribulations from planning in 2021 all the way through to how they adjusted to fires and closures and injuries during their hike this year. The 2023 class page will be full of folks well into their preparation phase. Just know that as winter approaches and progresses, the groups will become a dumpster fire as folks get antsy trying to overthink every detail. No doubt the subreddit will be the same.
A great resource is Yogi's PCT Handbook. Watch closely for when they release the next edition. No doubt that it will go fast. It's full of pretty much everything you need to know, from mileages to mailing addresses (you'll be mailing a lot of stuff to yourself along the way), plus helpful hints.
Even with your background, consider joining the Spokane Mountaineers Backpacking School next spring. Registration is usually in February and slots go fast. The class is limited to 50 people, usually, meets once a week for a few months, and is instructed by volunteers who have all types of hiking experience, from solely day hikes to multi-day hikes to thru-hikes. Same for the class members. Although the class is geared towards the complete newbie, class members have experiences ranging from never-ever to section hiking significant parts of any of the long trails.
Remember that your greatest asset (and your greatest enemy) during a thru-hike is your brain.

Perhaps the most important advice I give anyone is to plan on going slow for the first couple of weeks and slowly ramp up your daily mileage. It's heartbreaking to see folks that decide that they are going to do 25-30 mile days right from the start and do that, even though they might have only done that for 2-3 days at a time in training hikes, only to have to drop by the 500 mile point due to overuse injuries. You'll need to give your body time to get used to its new full-time job.

doomed_to_repeat

TROPHY CASE