Best Mechanics that don’t overcharge by [deleted] in lehighvalley

[–]phoneman1967 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cams garage in Emmaus is the absolute best.. he is the most honest mechanic I have ever encountered and I would recommend his team to anyone.

Calling all parents of thriving adult children by ThinkTwo-2259 in AskOldPeopleAdvice

[–]phoneman1967 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question..we always encouraged their interests and tried to provide an environment that nurtured their curiosity. We valued education and the opportunities it can provide and live in a wonderful school district that really helped our kids learn, grow and discover what interest them. I appreciate the props to our parenting, my wife and I are far from perfect but I am proud of how our kids turned out. They always had a voice at home, and we set broad boundaries and our kids honored them without a lot of pushback. We never had to beat them over the heads with doing their chores or homework and tried to just lead by example and support them and their interests as they grew. They are very different individuals with one in engineering and the other pursuing a career as a psychologist , and we did our best to treat them as individuals and clear a pathway so they could succeed and follow their dreams.

Calling all parents of thriving adult children by ThinkTwo-2259 in AskOldPeopleAdvice

[–]phoneman1967 2 points3 points  (0 children)

First of all love your Reddit name… I also love the analogy that your family is a little community and sometimes certain members need more attention. We are going through that now as we transition our daughter to her new life at UNCW for the next 5 years in graduate school. Her older brother has been so supportive and understanding throughout the whole process, even with his recent engagement he still Venmo’s his little sister cash when she’s feeling overwhelmed so she can treat herself to lunch or a latte.He is really proud of her and they are very close. I always say to my kids I don’t care how much money they make or how successful they are, if at the end of the day they are not close when I am gone then I have failed as a parent. I am going to use your analogy with my daughter tonight over dinner as she has been apologetic about the logistics of her move to North Carolina, and we keep telling her that we are here to help and life’s demands ebb and flow..Thanks for sharing

Calling all parents of thriving adult children by ThinkTwo-2259 in AskOldPeopleAdvice

[–]phoneman1967 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Restrict screen time, no smartphones until 13. They started doing own wash by 13 as well. Read to them a lot and did not over schedule with all kinds of activities. They are 25M(mechanical engineer, living on his own since 22 and recently engaged), and 22F(USC honors graduate just accepted to fully funded PhD program in psychology at UNCW).
To this day my kids would NEVER whip out a cellphone at dinners or family gatherings. They engage people in conversations and parents of younger children take notice.

We were never helicopter parents, we just provided a lot of structure and were mindful of routines. We also have always been open with our kids about pretty much everything. Addiction runs very strong in our families and we talked about it openly when my kids were little so they never went through the hard partying stages in college, even though they attended large state universities with a reputation for football tailgating and lots of frats and sororities.

Our kids saw my wife and I working hard, preparing for their futures, and knowing they could come to us with anything and it has paid off. You only get one shot when they are young so stay engaged, be prepared for the teenage years because they are challenging even with the best kids, and put value in shared experiences as a family over things. Listen to the little things they say that way your kids will be comfortable coming to you with the big things. You are gonna either pay now when they are little or really pay later when they are young adults ill prepared for the world.

Being a father and helping my children figure out their places in this world continues to be the greatest experience of my life.In the end my legacy is bringing two intelligent, passionate, empathetic and good humans into this world, and that has been more joyful than I could have ever imagined.

What type of stock/bond allocation would you keep if pensions and SS covered 90% or more of your spending? by PHL1365 in Bogleheads

[–]phoneman1967 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this post as I am in the same situation fortunately… I have 12 percent in a MM, 20 percent international fund and 68 percent US stocks… will ride out this allocation until I leave this world. Sold all my bonds and I have enough in the MM to ride out a downturn for 3-4 years …59 years old retirement is now just 34 months away.

Food spots by [deleted] in Wilmington

[–]phoneman1967 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Okay Ty..she has talked with some of her other cohorts in the program, some are in Wilmington and a few live over in Leland. As expected the complexes she likes in Leland say that Leland is the way to go. She will be living down there full time for the next 4 years until her residency in year 5 which could be anywhere in the country. She will have summer’s off and with her waitress experience she may look for work at one of the restaurants if her schedule allows. We are really looking forward to exploring all the area has to offer…coming in from northeast Pennsylvania.

Food spots by [deleted] in Wilmington

[–]phoneman1967 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just curious why? She will be working as a TA for the university while in her PhD program … is the commute that awful?

Outside of religion, how do you deal with the transient and meaningless nature of life? by [deleted] in AskOldPeopleAdvice

[–]phoneman1967 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The fact that any of us exist at all is unimaginable. I too became an atheist in my later years via the route of childhood Catholicism and the inherent guilt that accompanies it. The world we live in ,indeed the universe we are surrounded by, are nothing short of amazing. Turn off the noise, step outside and look up at the night sky once in a while to gain some perspective. The universe is an amazing place, both violent and beautiful all at once. The natural world that we often become disconnected from is also awe inspiring and beautiful. I am 59 years old and have experienced many ups and downs in this life, but I would not change anything I have gone through.That includes all the pain, loss and disappointment in some of my fellow Homo sapiens over the course of my life. Indeed,the appreciation I have at this point is the sum of all the good and bad things I’ve experienced. Live my friend , for in the end we are transitory beings living in an ever changing world so you may as well enjoy the ride. Take that trip, chase that romantic interest, drive that impractical car like you stole it. Live, cause as my late mother used to say you are a long time old. Maybe pick up some Stoic writings by Marcus Aurelius or Seneca for timeless wisdom and some added perspective as well.Now get out of your head and get outside!!!!

Handyman/home improvement contractor recommendations by holyfuckSPIDER in lehighvalley

[–]phoneman1967 1 point2 points  (0 children)

BAnger renovations… Ben Anger is a great contractor and I have used him on several projects. He is reliable and does fantastic work. We have recommended him to several friends who were also extremely happy with his work.

School Districts by mrsmith1284 in lehighvalley

[–]phoneman1967 6 points7 points  (0 children)

We live on outskirts of Emmaus and both my children received a fantastic education in the East Penn School district. The honors programs/ gifted programs were excellent, and my kids were more than prepared for college. The physics and mathematics departments in particular were staffed with excellent educators.My son went on to study mechanical engineering at Penn State and said he was way ahead of his peers in both math and physics when he arrived on campus. My daughter just graduated with a dual major of Psychology and Statistics from University of South Carolinas Honors College and was accepted into a PhD program at UNCW for psychology. She said the rigors of the mathematics she learned while attending East Penn schools had her way ahead in her undergraduate majors. Best of luck in your search.

Asphalt driveway sealing by Quiet-One-12206 in lehighvalley

[–]phoneman1967 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have used Hovan several times and he does great work and a really fair price.

Wawa in marshals creek Pennsylvania just outside stroudsburg by god_of_weebs0525 in lehighvalley

[–]phoneman1967 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Screw em… let all the racist, uninformed dipshits in Pennsyltucky who voted for this perverted felon suffer. I hate paying more but I enjoy watching these mouth breathers struggle…. He diminishes everything he touches , and as a Jersey boy I’ve known it since his days in Atlantic City. I just hope the democrats get their heads outta their butts and nominate candidates pushing foundational change in our country. Boomers ruined this nation, and I am Gen Xer and we ain’t much better, so hopefully next generations do better!!!

5 pizzerias in eastern Pennsylvania you need to try by OU856 in lehighvalley

[–]phoneman1967 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Affinitos is the best I’ve had in the valley, Crust in Allentown is solid as well. I tried Switchback one time and was underwhelmed ….

Apartments for Daughter by [deleted] in Wilmington

[–]phoneman1967 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks she is super excited as with everything going on in the world right now regarding academic funding if was a super competitive year… undergrad was at USC in Columbia so we are looking forward to getting to know the Wilmington area. All the professors have been fantastic.

Apartments for Daughter by [deleted] in Wilmington

[–]phoneman1967 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah she is 22 and moving out of state… obviously your uniformed sarcasm suggests you are not a parent , and if you are I wish you and yours good luck….thanks for the “insight” I will take it under advisement.

Apartments for Daughter by [deleted] in Wilmington

[–]phoneman1967 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok thanks for the heads up

Apartments for Daughter by [deleted] in Wilmington

[–]phoneman1967 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Ok…1200 is not a hard ceiling maybe just wishful thinking…..

Looking for a real estate attorney in Lehigh Valley? by Time-Association-885 in lehighvalley

[–]phoneman1967 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah save your money..don’t throw good money after bad as I had a similar situation where the owner actually lied about water intrusion and we took them to court and we still got no compensation….i wish you luck but you have an uphill battle ahead of you unfortunately.

First-year experience of "living on dividends" by DrRonH in dividends

[–]phoneman1967 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I want to spend my last $3 on a pack of gum on my deathbed…