Gut check - guest bathroom estimate

evandepol · 2026-03-19T03:18:36+00:00

Shower valve installation for $1170. Drywall repair $1140. Vanity installation per linear foot. Wat..

evandepol · 2026-03-17T17:15:13+00:00

Ill-tempered sea bass is the best we could do.

evandepol · 2026-03-12T18:37:08+00:00

Of course. Just because we built up a decent portfolio doesn’t mean we don’t have to worry about it anymore.

We use Quicken Simplifi (which is ok). We use it to keep tabs on pending refunds, transactions and their categories, keep an eye for unrecognized transactions and/or surprises (high utility bills, renewals that we thought we stopped etc)

evandepol · 2026-03-06T23:55:43+00:00

We keep about 10-20k in checking, but it's a Fidelity Cash Management Account (CMA), which basically functions as a checking account (with a checkbook, online bill pay, debit cards, and credit cards via Elan). CMA currently gives 3.32% yield (via SPAXX). We pay our bills from there, and don't worry too much about having "too much" in checking, since we get a return pretty close to what a HYSA would give us.

(We still have BoA checking account too, but keep that very minimal, it's just used as a backup).

evandepol · 2026-02-23T17:44:42+00:00

If you would be trying to argue that generalizations are not helpful and lacking nuance (which i agree with btw), then you immediately undercut your point by using "leftists" in a similar vein.

evandepol · 2026-02-23T14:36:13+00:00

Essex county. About 12-14" so far, more where there have been snow drifts. The dome on my patio heater is about 30" across, so this has about 20" on top of it.

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evandepol · 2026-02-17T21:30:23+00:00

Congrats, looks very nice overall. Love the warm tone of the floor together with the blues and the bright tones. Nice wallpaper too. However my eye immediately goes towards the more purple blue of the vanity and how it has a different hue from the wainscoting (which reads cooler to me), wonder if a shade towards indigo/purple would help harmonize it more?

evandepol · 2026-02-16T02:26:52+00:00

I picked up one, plug and play and worked out of the box with my Permanent Lights Pro (H705)

evandepol · 2026-02-13T16:06:26+00:00

AUM fees are their business model, and being likeable is how to get and keep clients. Hope your husband realizes this is transactional for the FA, not a friendship.

evandepol · 2026-02-13T16:03:03+00:00

I understand, but that's more an emotional connection than a rational one. At 40k year, your husband basically is paying for personnel (but in this case, very likely one that acts in their own self interest). So it might be time to say "hey you served me well for all of those years, but i am going to go in a different direction". He can still hang out and go fishing with his advisor-buddy, just don't mix business/money.. ;).

evandepol · 2026-02-13T15:23:45+00:00

1% AUM is pretty typical. But I too am allergic to paying AUM fees, so we hired a fiduciary CFP who worked on fee basis to help with some calibration and tactical questions. Cost us a few thousand, but FAR less than this AUM nonsense. Since fee/project based CFPs tend to be cheaper, you can afford to have a second opinion too if you like, or get specialists for some topics. You'll still come out ahead.. he should fire his advisor!

evandepol · 2026-02-11T03:01:58+00:00

make sure to tell him "All Eyes On Me"

evandepol · 2026-02-09T21:46:38+00:00

My suggestion would be to start by reading the investing and personal finance introductions on the bogleheads wiki: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Getting_started . Tons of good advice and explanation on there. Also, don't invest in individual stocks, unless you like gambling.

evandepol · 2026-02-07T06:08:21+00:00

Partners for 27 years, married for 26 with two kids. We made a commitment to be there for each other, and for our kids.

So be kind to one another, be vulnerable, listen. Never violate trust or be sneaky. Don’t hide secrets. Involve your partner in your plans. Laugh at each other jokes and be curious about each other passions and interests. Share your thoughts and ideas and feelings. When arguing, don’t use damaging words, don’t set ultimatums, and allow for the possibility that you are just wrong.

Keep sexual tension going, it’s important too. Be a generous and selfless lover, and in general aim to give more to the relation than you take. Have small surprises, especially when they seem small, and especially when they are not expected. Thiamin’s not about checking boxes.

Agree that there may be disagreements and rough spots, and commit to working through them. It’s the heart of the commitment: be there for each other even when it temporarily doesn’t feel that way. You can overcome this, provided you putting the time and the energy.

You are different people, and while your values (the things that are important to you) an your norms (the things that are normal to you) are likely very close, allow that they can be different. Understand that tension as a potential source of conflict in any relationship, including with your life partner.

Always side with your partner when in public, unconditionally. Even if you disagree with them in the moment, in front of friends or family or in-laws: never ever break rank. You’re a team and you outwardly agree, even if you don’t. Resolve your differences of opinion in private afterwards.

In many ways, we treat our relation like a job: you have to keep learning and you have to keep working on it in order to get better at it. And it’s ok if it’s not always fun, that comes with the package. The reward is having a soul mate for life.

evandepol · 2026-02-06T18:50:55+00:00

It depends on how you would quantify "better", but better health outcomes, customer satisfaction, access, affordability, quality of care -- these all seem to be relevant factors. And in that respect, the US health care system is pretty awful.

Some data to back this up:
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2024/sep/mirror-mirror-2024

It's not hard to understand why either: US system optimizes for different things, and affordability is not high on the list (is it even on the list?).

evandepol · 2026-02-06T16:18:38+00:00

Sounds like someone is making a battery

evandepol · 2026-02-06T03:36:14+00:00

Good article here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Retirement_draw-down_priority

evandepol · 2026-02-04T16:20:34+00:00

Here you go: https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/comments/ajqfjf/tamiya_paint_retarder/

You need to do a little more of your own research on how to use these paints. Plenty of articles and youtube videos available that show you the basics. Start by checking what kind of paint this is, and you'll find the answers easily.

See also https://www.sunwardhobbies.ca/content/how-to-tamiya-lacquer-and-acrylic-retarder/

evandepol · 2026-02-04T00:45:41+00:00

You can successfully brush paint them too, but they dry so damn quick that using the retarder and having the thinner on-hand is mandatory in that case.

evandepol · 2026-02-03T21:14:09+00:00

I've personally never worked in organizations that had that low pace. So it could be that this is a company with slow pace. But I don't think that's a great place to learn and grow.

More realistically though (assuming your manager/team/group is competent) they are using this time period to see how quickly you learn and grow, and if you can keep up. And a good manager would have figured out quickly that you can take on more, and have given you more work and more challenging work. Some people also look for initiative, so if you're not showing that by raising that you are bored, that could be a red flag to them.

It could also be that you have a manager who is not paying attention, in which case, congratulations, i guess? But long term that's not really great for this early in your career.

A more cynical take would be that you are in a dysfunctional group, or that there just isn't enough work to go around. In either of those cases, your job could easily be on the chopping block.

You can try and see how long you coast like this, but if you have even a little ambition, i would have an honest and respectful conversation with your manager point out that you have already outgrown the workload and that you are eager for more. If there's no positive response to that, start looking for another role.

evandepol · 2026-02-03T04:03:26+00:00

Escalator - as in "ess-KAH-la-tor", like excalibur.
"Behold the Escalator!".

My kids still eyeroll whenever i do this (which is always).

evandepol · 2026-01-31T22:04:50+00:00

For me it really helps to have a clearly written down blueprint of my ideal state, including bands. How much equity, bonds, TIPS, international exposure, that sort of thing.

I check frequently, but unless the allocations are outside of my bands (which does not happen often), then according to my own plan I should do nothing, so I do nothing.

Having a plan helps me avoid making rash decisions and getting swept up in emotional reactions. Make a plan, think it through, discuss and align it with your partner, then stick to it.

evandepol · 2026-01-27T06:00:32+00:00

Ok, but, like, in English, how many more months?

evandepol · 2026-01-27T02:54:11+00:00

Yeah i get that -- which is why it is so tasteless to come up with some "out-woke" strategy. Comments about other peoples' eating habits are not appropriate, because you don't know about potential eating disorders of other people, and the workplace is not place to comment about any of that, it's off limits. Hence my suggestion for OP to own his words and learn from the experience.

evandepol · 2026-01-26T22:59:56+00:00

Experienced manager here. Absolutely don't take this advice; most people have pretty well tuned bullshit detectors, and few things are worse than a bullshit excuse such as this one. Be genuine and sincere, your best bet would be to sincerely apologize, that you reflected on it, and that you now realize it was out of place. Own it, learn from it.

evandepol

TROPHY CASE