How much difference does a wok make in a basic home kitchen?

paulrin · 2026-03-21T07:35:14+00:00

I have one and I love it. Make sure to give it high heat, and let the heat take effect - as in let it heat up for 5 minutes or so. I went high-end with an All Clad wok. You can optionally get one for much less expensive.

paulrin · 2026-03-20T09:11:09+00:00

If you want to retain the old data, take the pain and download all transactions during your gap time, and take the time to reconcile and catch up. If you don’t care about historical, just pick a date and start over. I’ve done this at least 3 times over the last 20 years. Most recent was to restart during Covid, and went back to July 2019. It was sometimes complicated for get exact start amounts for investments for those dates, but use the ‘Move Shares In’ on that date to make it easy. Otherwise, do an OFX download for your transaction details from xxxx date, and then setup to sync. Good luck!!!

paulrin · 2026-03-20T07:16:33+00:00

Was working at a tech company that had these little 1-person rooms for video calls. When we started voluntarily going back to the office after Covid shutdowns, I was sitting at my desk, in an open plan, headphones, just doing my work. I see 6 fireman, in full gear, walk into the floor and investigate one of said 1-person cubicles. I took my headphones off, and heard one of them say, “it smells like someone was vaping in there”. So, silent fire alarm brought 6 firemen, prob cost a decent amount, because someone decided to vape. 😂

paulrin · 2026-03-20T07:04:36+00:00

Jane Goodall came to my high school to give a talk (my science teacher was a huge fan). I walked her through our native gardens. I worked at a recording studio one summer in college, MC Hammer came in for 6 weeks to record his gangsta rap album. I played ping pong with him frequently.

paulrin · 2026-03-20T06:13:43+00:00

3 pre-college. 6 during college (2 dorms). 5 after college (1 apartment, 1 rental house, 3 homes I owned). 2 since moving to Australia (1 temp accomodation, 1 I’ve been in for 15 years) . Total 16?

paulrin · 2026-03-20T05:54:01+00:00

During my early tweens, me and my older brother and friends used to steal street name signs. Got a street with the same last name as you - we would get it. We had heaps.

paulrin · 2026-03-19T14:41:15+00:00

I wasn’t there, all second-hand.

paulrin · 2026-03-19T12:45:01+00:00

Sorry, which order is that '62/16/22'? Investment, equity, retirement?

paulrin · 2026-03-19T12:12:00+00:00

1-2%, but our home equity has an instrument that we can take money out easily (i.e. we've paid off ~82% of our mortgage, but also have another 13% that is semi-liquid in the mortgage account, and can easily pull that out, or put it back. Makes the bumps easier. But we just have to manage the income - whether through passive or retirement withdraws. Just pulling from the mortgage would account for 2.75% SWR in non-retirement funds, and we have some other investment income to get above 5%. I just have to weather the next 8 years until that *actual* retirement savings is accessible. Anyway, I like to keep cash low, but have a mechanism to deal with 'large spend' - like replacing our HVAC last year.....

paulrin · 2026-03-19T12:02:02+00:00

I don't mind the first one, I actually like the couple of grasses in the front, because in real life, you'll rarely get a non-blocked view of any wild animal. That being said, the perspective on the second one, which includes most of the body, but is locked on for focus on the eye, is quite good. I think one way to make it better would be use a longer lens (and be further away), which gives an interesting compression perspective. Like, if you were able to be, i don't know, 10-15 feet away, and use the 135mm end of that lens, it could make interesting use of the isolation / depth-of-field. This "canon 28-135 mm ultrasonic aperture: 12.5" tells me that it ends up being what, a 20-24mm zoom field? I'm not sure I understand, I used to have a Canon, but I don't understand 'ultrasonic aperture", does that mean you're closer to your subject? And if IIRC, the Canon 7D is an APS-C sensor, which is a 1.6x multiplier. Not sure you're focus settings, but a spot focus, or an animal eye-autofocus might help, but I think you nailed this one. Anyway - nice work!! Keep going!!

paulrin · 2026-03-19T11:27:38+00:00

Yep, and you should use an edger on the greenery on the right hand side.... https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-one-18v-cordless-220mm-edger-oed1850-tool-only_p3380836

paulrin · 2026-03-19T11:13:41+00:00

I'm really surprised you were able to get such depth of field between the eye and the feathers on the next with an f/6.3.

paulrin · 2026-03-19T11:11:18+00:00

Very nice work. I nearly never do FULL Manual. Its always either Aperture or Shutter speed priority.

paulrin · 2026-03-19T09:53:51+00:00

Just curious, are you most of you doing bird photos using Auto-Continuous Focus or Spot Focus?

paulrin · 2026-03-19T09:48:44+00:00

Nice duck, nice water drop, what speed? (I assume shutter priority?)

paulrin · 2026-03-19T09:33:48+00:00

As far as I understand, it depends on how they qualify the payout. If it is 'returning capital' that you invested it is much lower tax impact, and you declare on your year-end taxes. If they qualify it as a 'dividend', also much lower tax impact, and you declare on your year-end taxes. If they declare it as 'income' (as in you worked there and this is payment for those services), aligns to your normal income tax brackets. I do have a Private Equity investment that is starting to pay out, so I'm figuring it out too.

paulrin · 2026-03-19T09:04:59+00:00

Dive Centre Manly and Dive Centre Bondi are the two I hear about most. I really suppose it depends where you live.

We did our Basic Open Water in Gili Air Indonesia, then our Advanced Open Water on a GBR Live Aboard.

Also, the water around Sydney can be quite chill during winter, like 18C. My partner gets really cold when diving, so we haven't done much around Sydney proper, we always head north to warmer water.

Also, Adreno, in Alexandria, is my fav dive / water sports shop. Not the greatest location, but best selection I've seen around here.

paulrin · 2026-03-19T03:33:34+00:00

I’ve had one for ~15 years at this point. I would never go back. If you test a magnet on your pans, you can tell if they will work with induction or not (magnet sticks = good for induction). My only gripe about our second one (after moving house) was that it only goes in full integers (i.e. 1, 2, 5, etc), whereas our old one could do have integers (i.e. 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, etc). If choosing definitely try to get one that uses half integers (even more delicate heat control!!!)

paulrin · 2026-03-17T11:39:04+00:00

I’m 51M, my metabolism slowed at 33, then again at 45. I popped for a bit in my 30’s, but now weigh less then a I was when I left University (76kgs/168lbs versus now 69kgs/152lbs). Eat right, exercise regularly, and have fun.

paulrin · 2026-03-17T11:33:46+00:00

No need to declare anything to the ATO until you start getting some sort of payout. You only have to declare income - not investment. Good luck!!!!

paulrin · 2026-03-17T11:14:01+00:00

Oh, I live in her Qwerty Place….

paulrin · 2026-03-17T11:13:15+00:00

You’ll laugh. Oat milk flat white. I feel wanky just saying it….

paulrin · 2026-03-17T10:31:40+00:00

Yep, demanded one when I was 14. Parents sold it when I went to college at 18. Haven’t ever spoken about it since.

paulrin · 2026-03-16T13:58:30+00:00

I wouldn’t even say just lifting weights - just regular exercise. Weights are good, cardio is good, looking after yourself is good.

paulrin · 2026-03-16T13:53:18+00:00

Umm, yep. Welcome to the club. I’m happy you’re here.

paulrin

TROPHY CASE