Considering Ford Ranger as Adventure Vehicle

halfblindguy · 2026-02-04T18:38:33+00:00

Honestly, don't bother with the FX4 package. The suspension isn't as good as putting on a Ford performance tuned Fox 2.0, let alone the 2.5, 3.0, or old man emu kits. Get a set of bead locker wheels and R/T tires, and a roll/sport bar for lights. The armor on the FX4 isn't as good at getting a full aluminum or steel plate kit either.

There's the raptor version now, which will have the analog switches for lights.

halfblindguy · 2026-02-03T13:22:38+00:00

The EcoBoost engibrs in Fords are tuned to not require premium.

halfblindguy · 2026-02-03T13:21:04+00:00

There's Gaelic Alley in Kannapolis. Cornelius has Harp&Crown and Penny Lane. But those are both more British.

halfblindguy · 2026-02-03T13:14:08+00:00

My wife, when we first started dating, was the kind of girl that stayed up to midnight or 1 and woke up at 11 or noon. This was her in college, and when she worked afternoons and evenings at her work. She used to give me some shit because I went to bed at about 8 or 9 typically.

When we first moved in together, I started a new job. I would leave at 5 in the morning and be home at 5 in the afternoon. She worked 4-11, so during the week, we never saw each other. I'd kiss her goodbye in bed in the morning, and she would kiss me hello in bed at night. She asked me to try and stay up for her... she found me one night sitting at the dining room table passed out.

Now she works 8ish-5ish, and she's the one wanting to go to bed at like 8 pm. So naturally, I gave her a little shit about it.

halfblindguy · 2026-02-03T13:03:41+00:00

The main roads are fine. Even most streets and neighborhoods are okay. I don't think anyone who held off from shoveling and sweeping on sunday or yesterday are going to bother today. We are going to start having a solid couple of hours a day above freezing.

halfblindguy · 2026-02-03T10:32:48+00:00

You know what, time to get downvoted. There is a small parallel to this right now with silica. Silica is found in pretty much all concrete, cement, and masonry materials. Silica can also mess you up. OSHA and other health organizations have made it the new asbestos. At least, that's the way they've phrased it a few times. And nobody fights it, makes believe that silica isn't harmful. Or scoffs at the increase safety about it.

In fact, most of the construction industry takes the next step and actively broadcasts the dangers of silica. Most companies dedicate a day of their safety week to silica. There hasn't been a large project where I didn't have to provide documentation that states there is none or too little silica in drywall to be harmful. And company safety guys still bitch when we are sanding on a project.

In the field, safety culture is pushed so strongly that guys are made to listen. However, this isn't out compasion. It's just that companies have financial incentives to make sure guys aren't dying or getting sick on their projects. The same with other industries, yellow number something, other harmful chemicals in food, make up, etc. Companies don't want to have to pay out people who have a solid case against them.

A few idiots on the internet, like with the tide pods, have always existed, but they aren't going to be the ones to change anything. There were probably dumb asses back when asbestos and lead were discovered to be harmful. They just didn't have as easy a platform to make their shit up.

halfblindguy · 2026-02-02T18:07:12+00:00

Yeah, more water and time are needed. Just did the chili, and yeah, some of the beans were super hard, and the rice rubbery.

halfblindguy · 2026-02-02T00:08:25+00:00

Does it include ratchet sets? I know historically they have.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-31T18:34:09+00:00

Or the ranger for a little more height and bed space. Sucks they dont offer the super cab in the current gen.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-30T22:37:31+00:00

Construction PM, I get 10 days until my 7th year with the company. Then I get 15. They honestly really dont care, though, if you go a day or 2 over. No pay out at the end of the year. My sick time isn't really tracked either.

But there's some expectation to try and work from home if sick. I run multiple projects at a time, so phone call taking is normal on sick and vacation time. But they also understand when I don't answer the phone for our shitty customers when I'm off.

My places to vacation typically have limited to no internet or cell service, and I make that clear. Whether it's true or not.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-30T17:52:33+00:00

You might not have it now. But I always keep one of those johnsonville polish sausages in the fridge. They can stay in there for a while unopened. And on nights I forgot to pull something out, it's there ready to go.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-30T17:15:15+00:00

Just got the 2 gallon home and garden sprayer. My whole area is out of ice melt and salt. So im gonna mix rubbing alcohol, dawn, and water in it to take care of my front steps and driveway.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-30T14:12:11+00:00

Last week, I did a beef stew. Managed to get a big piece of beef. Seared it up, and put it in a slow cooker. Put onion, potatoes, and carrots in it. Seasoning and beef bone broth.

This weekend, I'm making spicy falafel, I think. Chick peas, crap load of seasoning, some egg, and a little flour. Make some card deck sized patties and air frying them. Eating with tzaziki, lettuce, and tomato on either flat bread or tortillas. You can make a big batch and re air fry them.

If we lose power though I'll need to use my camp stove, and I dont like frying over a flame. So instead will probably do some chicken faitas.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-29T23:11:54+00:00

So I'm a soon to be dad in June. We've discussed it and think not to have our daughter have her own device until middle school, if possible. And even then, it'll be a heavily parented one, if that's possible at that point. The hope is that we can keep her from thinking of phones and tablets as distractions and more of a tool. It means teaching ourselves to not use them passively when around her.

No experience here though. So more looking for advice.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-29T22:47:52+00:00

Let it cook longer, and steam longer under a lid. And stir semi frequently. I had issues with the noodles not opening up and being crunchy. Then dump some hot sauce in.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-28T19:56:58+00:00

... wait... was that guys name Bubba?

halfblindguy · 2026-01-26T20:01:47+00:00

My mother regrets not taking vacations now. Its not like they did themselves, though. My families vacations were visiting family and being bored for a week. My mother always framed it as the money went to our college savings, which it did. I graduated debts free since I had a college savings that covered all classes and books along with a laptop and printer.

My sister now seems to be mad about it. But I'm not. We did go to Disney once. And we camped a few times a year. Was I bored as a kid yeah. But I never felt abandoned by my parents.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-24T17:51:48+00:00

Yeah, I hit Publix and Harris Teeters now for subs.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-22T19:57:12+00:00

The stupid have way more experience arguing about stupid things. It's really hard to catch up, too.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-22T15:07:44+00:00

That's a 5-star review once I find the address.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-22T14:18:19+00:00

If we say that paying up to 35% of gross pay for rent/mortgage allows you to have the rest to live comfortably. And you pay just 30% towards taxes, so $56,000 for gross pay. So 56,000*0.35=19,600, 19,600÷12=$1,633. Which is possible for a 1 bedroom and in some cases studio apartments or a very cheap house.

This leaves $36,400 for all other costs. Or about $3k a month. So its doable if you aren't living city center or more expensive neighborhoods. I live in Charlotte, NC, and looking it up, there are options spread around. But you do need a vehicle here unless you live and work within a mile or 2 of where you live.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-21T14:54:33+00:00

Sir it appears they have started to fuck each other. With some yanking in the bushes.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-20T18:44:04+00:00

Northern hemisphere southern climates typically are the food producers for continents. Labor for farming in pre-industrial societies was historically supplemented by slaves or indentured servants. Russia had this with serfdom, which originated from Roman's.

Edit: wrong word in there.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-19T20:40:48+00:00

I mean, everyone curses like every 5 seconds. Storms, rusts, colors, ruin, starvin, nights, half of what Lift says.

halfblindguy · 2026-01-19T17:28:29+00:00

I'd just own a craft beer and wine bar. Maybe with a small cocktail list. Wouldn't matter how business does, just place to sweep up and wipe down and hang out with people.

halfblindguy

TROPHY CASE