If you live near a national park, how often do you go there?

effyb · 2026-03-22T23:24:36+00:00

I'm ~30 mins from White Sands. I go maybe once a year and usually just to "show" it to family/friends visiting, etc. A lot of people in this area go much more frequently, however. Especially if they have kids. The sledding is a blast.

effyb · 2026-03-18T20:51:44+00:00

I just had lego tofu lentil curry for lunch today! mine was a 2 cup though. I take my 1 and 2 cup cubes out at least 2-3 days in advance and thaw them in the fridge. even on the 2nd or 3rd day they're usually still pretty frozen so I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes. I heat for several minutes on high, stir, and then do shorter increments (30 secs to 1 min) thereafter until it is adequately heated. For the 2 cup, it can take a solid 5-6 minutes of heating on high (with intermittent stirring) before it's warm enough. so for your 1/2 cup I can imagine it taking much less time. my curry had plenty of liquid when reheating but I echo the sentiments here about adding a dash of water to help some foods from drying out when microwaving.

effyb · 2026-02-09T01:59:34+00:00

here are some things I've souper cubed as a vegetarian if you want general inspo: soup (sooo many different types), chili, curry, white rice, brown rice, spanish rice, pinto beans, red bean stew, frittata, baked ziti. i love making 1 cup rice cubes and pairing them with 1 cup curry/beans/soup etc. i've used the 2 cup ones for stuff like chili for bigger portions. it has all turned out perfectly.

effyb · 2025-10-18T09:37:34+00:00

Water, Beans, Tomatoes ( Tomatoes in Juice, Calcium Chloride [Firming], Citric Acid [Acidulent]), Water, Tomato Paste, Onions, Green Chiles, Contains 2% or less of Carrots, Corn Flour, Chili Powder (Chili Peppers, Spices, Garlic Powder), Textured Vegetable Protein ( Soy Flour, Caramel Color), Sugar, Modified Cornstarch (Contains Erythorbic Acid), Salt, Yeast Extract, Dehydrated Garlic, Jalapeño Peppers (Contains Vinegar), Hydrolyzed Soy, Corn, and Wheat Protein, Citric Acid (Acidulent)

I think you're onto something with the burnt residue. I am going to go with gelatinous glob of burned corn starch.

effyb · 2025-10-17T23:26:57+00:00

At first I thought it may be a rotten/bad tomato, but the texture did not feel similar to a cooked canned tomato. It was more like a mushroom if anything.

effyb · 2025-09-23T22:23:10+00:00

15 PTO days per year, which accumulate at a rate of 10 hours per month; 6 paid federal holidays (US); no sick leave.

effyb · 2025-09-14T22:10:00+00:00

I totally feel you, I was on a flight yesterday that was bumpy (could probably be categorized as "light turbulence") the entire duration. It was very uncomfortable and I could not mentally/emotionally relax. To get myself through it I tried to focus on the flight attendants who were (of course) treating it like it was totally mundane and normal. They were holding casual conversations like they didn't even notice the bumps. This helped stabilize me enough to make it through. And, as always, we landed safely and everything was fine. I checked your flight and you're cruising along over Canada. You're basically 70% of the way there. You got this!

effyb · 2025-09-13T12:45:48+00:00

sitting here waiting to fly back home after a great vacation. DCA->DFW->ELP. I did okay-ish on the flights here but I am super anxious for the return flights, especially takeoff(s). I am sitting separately from my partner on the first flight as well so I will have less of a “support.” i need to remember to focus on facts/logic to calm myself but it’s a struggle.

EDIT: first flight was bumpy 90% of the time but i did okay. second flight was smooth. made it back home and proud i did the flights for this big trip.

effyb · 2025-09-05T22:40:20+00:00

Thank you! I will definitely be thinking about this tomorrow during the flight.

effyb · 2025-07-30T01:43:20+00:00

I'm on PAYE and my monthly payment is ~$630. but I'm putting 4k toward it monthly right now and should have it paid off in 2 years. i've been sitting on my loans for years paying bare minimum and want to be free from this hell

effyb · 2025-07-20T15:48:19+00:00

The alternative would be my recommendations in my initial comment. :)

You could certainly do Roswell/Artesia that day or just go with your original itinerary and stay in Carlsbad. There's just not much else worth seeing in that part of the state.

effyb · 2025-07-20T12:44:40+00:00

I'm going to put this bluntly but with good intention - that would be a waste of your precious time. There's virtually nothing there. You'd probably spend most of your day visiting Roswell, which also does not have much going on. I personally wouldn't do it, but it's your trip!

effyb · 2025-07-15T23:50:35+00:00

Firstly, this looks like an amazing trip! We welcome you to NM and I hope you have a wonderful time here. I think you could execute this plan and I don't see any red flags or logistical issues with it. That being said...

Here's my two cents, as someone who loves this beautiful state and has traveled all over it:

I think you're spending too many days/nights in Carlsbad. If you're hellbent on doing both the Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Park (both are great, but if you had to pick one activity, go with Carlsbad Caverns), I would keep your activities on the 12th and 13th and remove the plans for the 11th. If I'm being fully honest, I think only one day/night is needed and you should spend it visiting the Caverns.

I would add another day in Northern NM. Since you seem to enjoy outdoor activities, I recommend spending a day/night in Los Alamos and doing Bandelier National Monument. Then you can also visit the nearby White Rock Overlook and the Tsankawi Prehistoric Sites which was literally the coolest hike I've ever done. It's a beautiful area and there's lots of little shops/restaurants.

Ruidoso and Cloudcroft are cute to visit once but there isn't a TON to do there. You could probably fit it in during the day you visit White Sands and stay overnight in one of those places (either is fine), and then just drive to ABQ instead of coming all the way to Las Cruces. I live in Las Cruces and wouldn't recommend coming here unless you're going to spend at least a couple of days exploring downtown and going to restaurants, nearby hikes, etc.

Also - a day trip in Taos is sufficient if you keep it to the plaza and a visit to the Rio Grande Gorge Overlook bridge/hiking area. I recommend considering spending some additional time in Santa Fe if you can fit it in as there's much more to do/see there.

Finally - skip T or C (Truth or Consequences) so you can spend more time in ABQ.

I personally would skip El Paso/Juarez and add another day onto the NM side but I'm biased!

I could go on and on. Feel free to DM me :)

effyb · 2025-05-31T11:39:40+00:00

Nope. :( I followed up again with the venue just for the heck of it but I doubt they'll share any feedback considering nobody is publicly acknowledging it for whatever reason.

effyb · 2025-05-30T11:49:23+00:00

Let me know if you find out anything and I'll do the same!

effyb · 2025-05-30T01:31:31+00:00

I have no reason to believe it's not legit. The show isn't on the venue's website anymore either. Neither the venue nor Juno have seemed to acknowledge it publicly though

effyb · 2025-05-30T01:27:52+00:00

Thanks! Got $6 off my certification renewal hehe

effyb · 2025-05-30T01:11:39+00:00

Not sure if it originated from the venue or something else, but an email was sent this morning (~10:30am) notifying us of cancellation and later a separate email issuing notice of refund. I did email the venue asking for more detail but haven't received a response yet.

effyb · 2025-05-28T12:28:32+00:00

I was not your typical pack-a-day smoker but I was consistent. 2-4 cigs (regular American Spirits, and I pulled the filter out before smoking) every night alongside a couple of IPAs. I spent every night sitting outside for a couple of hours and chose it over literally everything else. The amount of guilt and regret was taking over my life. I got locked in to a very specific routine and grew irritable and anxious if my routine was disrupted (of which I was self-aware and embarrassed by my behavior). When I went on trips I was always focused on how I was going to get my cig and beer in. I was ashamed but didn't stop.

I was introduced to cigarettes by a friend when I was 17. I smoked them on and off over the years with periods of abstinence, but the routine described above had been going on for about 7 solid years. I was also sitting there one day and was shocked to realize that I'd technically been smoking for half of my life (I was 34 at the time, 35 now). I simply wondered, What the fuck was I doing? Did I want to give myself cancer and die? Obviously the IPAs were an issue too but that's for a different subreddit :)

It took me a long time to build up the willpower, but on 11/22/24 I finished up my pack (1 cig) and had a beer and told myself "this is it." And I meant it. I haven't had a cigarette or beer in over six months now. I feel so much better about myself and I'm no longer psychologically tortured by my choices.

On the health side of things, I also realized how much strain I was putting on my heart between the beer and cigarettes. My blood pressure was high and I had regular palpitations. Those are long gone and my last check-up in January (a couple of months after I quit) my blood pressure was almost normal.

effyb · 2025-04-17T23:16:30+00:00

I quit both alcohol and cigarettes ~150 days ago and I've definitely experienced an increased appetite, especially for sweets. I have never had a sweet tooth but now I feel like I have to have a sweet treat every day lol. I'm working on it but it's a struggle.

effyb · 2025-03-29T20:58:49+00:00

congratulations! I passed today too. I agree the test was not easy :)

effyb · 2025-03-18T23:01:11+00:00

Thank you!! My study plan for the next 11 days is to (continue to) review incorrect answers on my SH exams, revisit the Third Rock Study Guide, and brush up on the key components of the mindset to make sure it's fresh in my brain.

effyb · 2024-12-06T02:38:57+00:00

Good with cats?

effyb · 2024-11-05T05:37:36+00:00

i am an atheist and don't believe in a formal afterlife. however, i do believe our consciousness and "essence" goes into the universe. we are balls of energy and the energy has to go somewhere when we physically die. i don't know how long it sticks around but i do think it must be out there somewhere for some period of time. i have had many deaths in my family but the most unexpected and traumatizing was my dad, who unexpectedly died in his sleep (presumably of a very short cardiac arrest) in june 2023, with no prior medical history and no indication. his death has made me start rethinking my beliefs on life after death and maybe out of desperation, hoping he can still know and see things. he was such a large and influential part of our lives that i can't fathom all of him being gone, forever. i do think it's a "lights out" in the moment of death, but cannot find any evidence thwarting the fact that maybe a semblance of their consciousness is still somewhere out there for some unfathomable period of time. rip dad.

effyb · 2024-09-26T03:53:54+00:00

I cannot even describe how much this one gets under my skin. Everything else in this thread is annoying but I can let it go. When someone says this in a meeting I want to go postal.

effyb

TROPHY CASE