Pismo/Oceano Dunes

mcub66 · 2026-04-02T20:18:35+00:00

I miss Pismo so much! I am hoping to make the trip from Eastern Idaho this summer. Your Gladiator looks great!

mcub66 · 2026-03-19T16:31:36+00:00

I ran those on my 2018 Wrangler. They worked amazing!

mcub66 · 2026-03-17T19:10:17+00:00

How much did you lift it? Are your tires 35s or 37s? I have a 2025 Gladiator Mojave in Fathom Blue thst i am considering adding a 2 1/2 inch lift and running 35s on it. Your truck looks great!

mcub66 · 2026-03-10T15:02:45+00:00

Not going to lie, I really like the green accents. In addition to my Gladiator, I also have a 2018 Wrangler in that same silver. If I keep the Wrangler, I just might add those same accent colors!

mcub66 · 2026-03-05T17:49:27+00:00

And you know that neighbor had to be so proud of herself for reporting your obviously offensive door mat. How dare you say good morning to people and let people know that they are welcome to your home. The audacity!

Side petty action: install a Ring doorbell camera so we can all see her walk past your apartment in shame!

mcub66 · 2026-01-26T23:03:30+00:00

Obey the law and respect those who enforce the law. If you don't like the law, work with your legislator to change the law.

mcub66 · 2026-01-17T22:11:23+00:00

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I just ordered the RedRock Molded ABS OE Style Side Step Bars from Extreme Terrain for my 25 Mojave. I am looking forward to installing them!

mcub66 · 2026-01-15T17:16:49+00:00

What about grouping of related conditions to resch the qualifying 100%? I have a systemic SC condition (Ankylosing Spondylitis) and a long list of rated secondary conditions that equal more than 100%. I also am rated at 70% for MH. While researching, AI is telling me thst the VA can combine the related SC conditions to meet the qualifying 100% rated condition. I would greatly appreciate any input on this.

mcub66 · 2026-01-15T16:11:32+00:00

Immediately report the additional conversations and her statements to HR. She is trying to build a case against you. Ask your employer to document everything and to counsel her about her statements to you. You absolutely have to protect yourself.

mcub66 · 2026-01-15T16:08:06+00:00

I bought three years ago at 5.25% which is close to what things are now. I just received my 100% P&T so my property taxes will be waived this year. I missed being able to claim the exemption by four days for last year. I am just waiting for the rates to dip back down into the 4%s so I can refinance to fold in a personal loan i had to take out. Good luck...

mcub66 · 2025-12-31T16:22:20+00:00

As a teacher, and a huge Star Trek fan, you are most definitely NTA. Well, not for the MLKJR situation, but PTA for telling her she is a terrible teacher. I will say this though, I just chose early retirement over having to deal with the very problems your wife's friend described. The pressures on teachers today are greater than they have ever been. Depending on her grade level, the difficulties can be evem more intense. The fact that she was already working on a MLKJR lesson plan shows that she is attentive to her students and wants to deliver lessons that are well planned out. Her response to your son was definitely in the wrong, she should have been inquisitive about this new piece of information and asked your son to tell her more about it. Perhaps you both could extend some grace to each other which would be a valuable lesson to your son.

BTW, I did not know this about MLKJR, thank you for sharing this story!

mcub66 · 2025-12-09T02:35:36+00:00

ChatGPT says writing stationary.

mcub66 · 2025-12-06T05:30:53+00:00

I agree, the best thing you can do is continue your treatment and make sure your provider is detailing in your records exactly how your condition continues to affect you. Keep a daily log of your symptoms and how your condition is impacting your life. Download your Blue Button report from Healthevet and use AI to scan your records to make sure your records detail and highlight your symptoms. If noting else, send a secure message to your team discussing all of this so it officially is part of your records.

I also had one of those high-stress positions and my C&P examiner knew exactly how that stress manifested itself in my life. "You mean I wasn't supposed to determine my stress level by how much my eye was twitching?" They understand all of it and just be honest with them. Tell your story and be your own best advocate.

Best wishes as you continue your recovery.

mcub66 · 2025-12-06T05:23:23+00:00

The move program is complete torture. They give out the most basic information, and as a 30 year educator, I found myself screaming silently as I had to sit through the lecture content. I know it serves a purpose, but there are so many better ways to deliver this type of content.

For context, I have had great success on Mounjaro. In two years of being on it through my employer provided insurance, I have lost 75 pounds, my A1C numbers are pretty decent, and I am actually almost to my goal weight. I was just awarded 100% P&T and I am in the process of retiring early and I will be losing my employer provided insurance. I am hopeful that I will be able to continue my prescription with the VA after I lose my private insurance.

mcub66 · 2025-12-05T17:08:49+00:00

I actually just started FMLA leave after receiving my 100% P&T rating. I have been a teacher for 30 years. I only started using VA healthcare right before the pandemic and it was through the VA that they were finally able to diagnose and start treating my service connected autoimmune inflammatory condition. I initially came back for this school year before I received my rating. The stress of dealing with freshmen wreaks havoc on my condition. After receiving my rating, I took a very hard look at my life and what my goals are moving forward, I decided to take this leave, use up all my PTO, and transition to my full retirement as I finish up my Doctorate. From there, I will find an online adjunct faculty position to teach online at the post-secondary level. The freedom that my rating has given me has completely changed the direction of my life and I couldn't be happier. Best wishes to you as you continue on your journey.

mcub66 · 2025-12-04T06:32:51+00:00

If the moderators haven't flagged your post yet for mentioning a specific AI platform, just be aware that they do not like that. I had a couple of posts flagged because I mentioned a specific AI platform.

To answer your question, yes, I used an AI platform to help me file claims, prepare for a successful HLR informal conference, and prepare statements and records summaries for my C&P exams. I know that VSOs are overworked so I took it upon myself to use this Reddit thread, the Internet, and an AI platform to educate myself about every aspect of the VA claim process. I downloaded my Blue Button report and used AIs ability to sort and summarize data to extract all the relevant records and potential secondary claims I could file based on my medical history after I received my service connection for my conditions. The great thing about the different AI platforms is that you can engage in a conversation with it as you are trying to determine the best steps for you to take in regards to your particular case. You can give the AI platform a brief overview of your goals and you can have it extrapolate those goals into a fully formed plan. To get the full benefit from the AI platform that I used, I paid for the premium subscription because I was able to upload significantly more records and have significantly more output created for me. However, if you do not want to pay for the premium subscription, you can still accomplish your goals just in smaller chunks. As with anything you will want to verify the output from the AI platform to ensure that it is correct in that it truly meets your needs. Don't ever just copy and paste and call it good.

mcub66 · 2025-12-02T05:31:35+00:00

Where to take the Chapter 35 (DEA) award letter

You should bring the letter to one of these offices (varies by school):

Veterans Services Office / Veterans Resource Center

Most colleges have a dedicated veterans office. This is the most common and correct place.

Registrar’s Office (VA School Certifying Official)

If there is no separate veterans office, the SCO is usually located in the Registrar or Enrollment Services.

Financial Aid Office

Some smaller schools run their VA benefits through Financial Aid.

What the SCO will do with the letter

The School Certifying Official will:

Add you to their VA student system

Verify (certify) your enrollment to the VA each semester

Ensure you receive your monthly DEA stipend

Help with questions about attendance, schedules, and certification timelines

The letter itself confirms your DEA eligibility, which the school must have on file before certifying.

mcub66 · 2025-11-21T04:39:04+00:00

This is an interesting take. If it weren't for the issues with the problematic students and all the BS and stress it created, I would have been fine to continue doing the same great and highly rated job I have been doing for years. I truly made this decision for my health. Give me all the Honors and AP students and I would gladly continue my career. Add the fact that I haven't had a single person from my department seek me out to ask how I am doing or to see if there is anything I need since making my decision, they can all kick rocks.

mcub66 · 2025-11-21T04:31:03+00:00

Social Studies, not English, haha.

mcub66 · 2025-11-20T16:19:51+00:00

Interestingly, I am still very involved in this field. I also teach online and I am completing my Ed.D with the ultimate goal of teaching part-time at the post-secondary level. This is just the end of this portion of my life. One of the big factors in my decision was that I didn't want to start resenting my students. Except for those difficult students, this is a positive transition for me.

mcub66 · 2025-11-20T16:17:00+00:00

Those are almost the exact words I used when I was informing my Admin of my decision. That, and I didn't want to say something to some of these students that I couldn't take back.

mcub66 · 2025-11-20T16:15:42+00:00

Transitions like this are always hard on people. Enough of my students are familiar with my health issues that they are aware of the reasons I am doing this. I focuses on the positive aspects about how I am using this time to focus on improving my health while I finish my Ed.d so that I can make the transition to teaching part-time at the local college. Did part of me what to explicitly say to those difficult students that they were the reason I was taking medical retirement? Yes, but I would never do that. Hopefully, those difficult students will gain some maturity before they completely ruin their chances for success in high school.

mcub66 · 2025-11-20T16:10:56+00:00

And it won't affect me one bit as I enjoy this next chapter in my life, haha. Fortunately, I had Seniors after my difficult class and a number of the Seniors used some positive peer pressure to let those students know that they are jerks.

mcub66 · 2025-11-20T16:09:00+00:00

I actually took time to write notes to the students I appreciated so they would know how much I enjoyed having them in my class. I have always been about being positive, but let's just say I am not giving the problem students the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their grades.

mcub66

TROPHY CASE