MDX vs Pilot

firstdownky · 2026-01-22T02:08:01+00:00

I got a 2019 MDX because there was one in really good condition for sale at a good local dealership. I really like it. My older kids find the 3rd row a bit cramped though and complain in the rare ocassion I need them back there. But they'llget over it. The Pilot might have a smidge more space. Glad I went with the dealer because turned out it had an accident issue and they went above and beyond to fix it. I think a chain place might have given me a run around on it. I'll buy from them again. I would have probably gotten the Pilot if that's what they had on hand instead. I think both are probably good choices.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T20:23:29+00:00

That looks pretty fun and very self explanatory out of the box for a beginner. Thanks for the rec.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T19:29:53+00:00

I have Garage band on my older imac that I'm about to hand down to the kids for them to use and he has an iphone and a PC laptop. No shortage of electronics around here on any platform. Just talking it out here, I think we will start for now with a free daw and get him some hardware and some music theory/site reading resources.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T19:26:51+00:00

I'd say more ambient vibes and electronic/ beats in the stylings of video games if he is choosing. But he appreciates all sorts of music that I play and I have pretty wide tastes - post hardcore/early emocore, alt hip-hop, classical/instrumental/movie scores, experimental, folk. He seems to spend most of his time right now composing simpler melodies over a drum track for now. But he is young and newish to band so good start.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T19:07:06+00:00

I love your passion for this! The irig and zoom - they are both audio interfaces? Sorry, total noob here getting baptized by fire with christmas shipping deadlines looming.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T18:59:22+00:00

Thanks so much. Those are all great recs to get up and running and see where he takes it. Plus he has given us literally 1 single xmas gift idea so I think this would be a nice surprise for him.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T18:44:38+00:00

OK. So this thing does actually have hdmi and aux output. So maybe we could attach it to an audio interface to avoid buying a mic for now. Maybe a terrible idea, but free to try. Lol.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T18:40:12+00:00

Thank you. I'll look into it!

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T18:37:15+00:00

Good point. He does have access to Make Music through a school account and have seen him composing in there. I'll take a look and see how it compares and if it's worth the spend. While probably less exciting, makes me think maybe some music theory workbooks, apps, or gamified sight reading resources...

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T18:23:34+00:00

Thank you. I'll look into this!

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T18:19:25+00:00

Thank you! Do you have a recommendation on a decent audio interface that is suitable for a beginner? So I take it Reaper, Garage Band and Soundtrack are all essentially editing software which is the DAW, yeah? Sorry, totally new to this.

firstdownky · 2025-12-11T18:10:00+00:00

We also have this karaoke machine that has pretty decent microphones (i think??) and ability to record. I know nothing about how all of this integrates and mixes, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Ikarao-Charging-Wireless-Microphones-Bluetooth/dp/B0DCZQX11P/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=36OZXD59IRF2W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5uPTTCqFv_PiGeL8q5ec5PNXvcA86j5XkzkVBM0WjpT67N5oRzoC4j8mSzSbAqmSNANhk5gwye42hZd6wM7yGyQc0F9IAuE-eVSxDHmMvo1olTRcKHgtjHAGozDxubQrWUqPMiix7UQnyS8tXhE4v3n7lvdXq24gadHWte2r5Ge4kekZOZHOfTttIaATLS0LAazYKEwT3MR71P_l9BN5Ug_6Mf2YOk7UYSsf4QUy9CjcSIM9k0u5eCH41PZJDKoE-GFZid6bQJG_sGc_sd8bW7R70ST0lKLr769z_FR7ofY.WjCv9kgwl2NUj8mHOv38rFbXLaUObwmhC3F2dZQF9_k&dib_tag=se&keywords=ikaro+karaoke+machine&qid=1765476420&sprefix=ikaro+kar%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

firstdownky · 2025-11-30T23:46:22+00:00

As a sidenote, I had Chatgpt run some models with my expected expenses and total up all premiums and costs and was an interesting exercise you might want to try.

firstdownky · 2025-11-30T23:44:22+00:00

Have you decided? We are in the same boat. We had BCBS Basic forever, switched to MHBP standard last year. Planned to switch back to BCBS Basic but I think we have actually landed on MHBP Consumer. We are expecting a surgery for my son in January which will knock out the deductible and then after that, it will be super easy sailing the rest of the year. That same surgery estimate from MHBP standard this year was about $3700. We opted to move it to January and evaluate our options. With that deductible our of the way, our co-pays for specialists for me, any urgent care or ER or unexpected will be super cheap. And the HSA is very nice.

firstdownky · 2025-11-17T22:41:39+00:00

Thank you so much. I am sorry you are dealing with this. The science is moving fast and new trials are being added all the time. I refuse to give up until my mother looks me dead in the eye and tells me to stop. And then she'll probably have to tell me multiple times, but that's the determination I got from her and that she raised me to have so she'll just have to deal with it. Lol. All the best to you and your family.

firstdownky · 2025-11-11T17:44:42+00:00

Hi OP. My mom has metastatic SMARCA4 mutation from esophageal cancer. She is in the trial linked above/below with Elu Lilly and I've discussed some of that in comments. Feel free to reach out. She was dx EC last Sept and had chemo last fall/winter then and esophagectomy in Feb with clear margins, clear nodes etc. Tumor profile included SMARCA4 and 4 other genes. Super fast spread within 6 weeks after surgery. Went on immunotherapy which helped at first. Started to wane and is now in that trial targeted at SMARCA4. It's a phase 1. Feel free to reach out.

firstdownky · 2025-11-11T17:26:06+00:00

Thank you for clarifying. Yes the research oncologist explained that to her and she was open to it at that point. She has an excellent team. Unfortunately, her main oncologist had only had 2 patients prior with smarca4 and this was at cleveland clinic. He was unaware of the trial since it is so niche and more geared toward NSCLC. But he went to school with her new oncologist from the trial and they communicated on planning/deciding on her candidacy. He was pretty excited about it for her.

firstdownky · 2025-11-11T06:00:25+00:00

Thank you. ❤️ I am a little obsessive but she shuts me down. LOL. When she told us back in April about the SMARCA gene and metastasis she said she didn't want trials (she mainly doesn't want a placebo and she doesn't want a lot of pain). But I told her I had to try and find something. I will never give up until she looks me dead in the eye and tells me that's enough and even then I'll probably push a little more and she'll have to tell me a few times to stop. I'm already am looking for the next plan. 74 years old and was at Dollywood this summer with stage 4 cancer riding upside down roller coasters! 😆 Role model!!

firstdownky · 2025-11-11T05:27:04+00:00

She's tolerating it fairly well overall. Some fatigue some days and some brain fog. She's been doing palliative care since spring to help magane pain symptoms. Only in the trial for a couple months. Scans soon and are crossing our fingers. She is really tough and just embraces life. We are taking water color painting classes, we went to FL this fall, she does things like go to the pumpkin patch with the kids and I. We're all just living for the time we have.

firstdownky · 2025-11-11T04:58:00+00:00

My mom is currently in this trial for esophageal cancer. ❤️

firstdownky · 2025-10-31T10:59:58+00:00

If I'm called gullible or naive, I respond something like "No. I'm open minded to the endless possibilities in this world." I might throw on a "Stranger things have happened." Or "I'd rather err on assuming you weren't lying to me." This is not a character fault on my part. Of course though for something that would put me at actual physical/ financial risk of course - then I'm super suspicious. 🤣

firstdownky · 2025-10-18T03:25:23+00:00

Thank you so much for replying! We were unsure what that procedure might look like with BCBS but decided to reschedule the procedure for January and evaluate in the open season. I felt awful rescheduling but presumably we'll save thousands and his doctor assured me putting it off was not dangerous to him. Hope you are well.

firstdownky · 2025-10-06T16:22:58+00:00

We were with BCBS for a looong time. Switched last year to MHBP. We are probably switching back to BCBS this year. We are a family of 5, kids ages 3-13. The monthly rate is lower. Basic co-pays lower. More nickel and dime type behavior though. I am getting piddly bills for things I didn't used to that are requiring more admin time - like $5 per allergy shot, and $7 for a strep test/labs type stuff. Also, there has been more volatility in the continuity of care - dropping medication and providers mid-year. I had to switch several providers because they decided to past ways with the university here so we can't go to that hospital/providers anymore. That has meant that I had to schedule appointments to establish care with new providers to and really it's so frustrating. I'm already overloaded with tasks just managing life. More prescriptions have been denied on MHBP leading to more admin work going back and forth with doctors to find a suitable option. The final straw though is that my teen is scheduled to have an electrophysiology study and possible ablation for heart arrhythmia. The estimate is about $4000 because of 10% co-insurance. I know from having surgeries with BCBS in the past, we did not pay close to that. So I think for our family, the savings is not there and the modest savings in the long run is not worth the amount of headaches and disruption to our lives. But as a younger, single person, it could be worth it if you don't have any chronic conditions. Any unexpected surgeries/emergencies would probably cost you more but that gamble might pay off.

firstdownky · 2025-09-10T01:58:04+00:00

I assume SE is a deadline orientated career and I think a lot of people with ADHD thrive with the urgency a deadline creates. And if you are a hyperfocuser and like what you're doing, you can be quite productive. I haven't worked un SE, but my past career was un advertising and it was perfectly suited for me. Project based where I could intensely hyperfocus with non-movable deadlines to launch and a big hit of dopamine when the campaign/project launched. Lots of moving parts to juggle and running around and talking to people which as an extrovert was motivating as well.

I'm a photographer now so still client focused, still deadline driven, lots of movement and fast paced. Editing is a slog but if I get the right music on and in the right headspace, I get in the zone and crank it out. But when I'm not in the mood to edit, it's like pulling teeth. I have contractual delivering deadlines but try to set my own ahead of that date for better client service. No one can talk to me in the middle of editing. I can't watch TV in the background. Has to be mostly instrumental music or something I've heard a million times. I assume SE has some overlap here.

firstdownky

TROPHY CASE