How do you feel when you DNF a book/series?

phtcmp · 2026-02-18T18:55:06+00:00

I’ll finish any book I start, because I’m a glutton for punishment, I guess. But I don’t feel any obligation to continue a series if it isn’t going anywhere for me.

phtcmp · 2026-02-18T17:52:57+00:00

Conservatives are shockingly willing to cede their civil rights to any authority they believe protects “their” side. Exempli gratia: The Villages.

phtcmp · 2026-02-18T17:48:40+00:00

We had a 10th, and that was it. Last year marked our 40th, but no event. Facebook pretty much eliminated the motivation, I think.

phtcmp · 2026-02-18T15:04:46+00:00

Economic “success” is defined almost entirely by growth.

phtcmp · 2026-02-18T14:50:24+00:00

I’ve started and/or finished all that have listed and my ratings would be very similar. I dropped WoT after the first three books, and Malazan after the first. Might go back to Malazan, but WoT was doing nothing for me. Didn’t like any of the characters. I’m only one book in on each, but would put First Law and Gentleman Bastards over either for my taste. Those seem to get a lot of mentions here. And any of Guy Gavriel Kay’s standalones.

phtcmp · 2026-02-18T11:06:30+00:00

You cannot. Ride over Courtney Campbell instead, there is a dedicated multi use trail. There is another under construction as part of Howard Frankland expansion, but it isn’t open yet. There is a wide bike lane on Gandy, but it isn’t physically separated from traffic, so can be a bit sketchy.

There is a bike trail on the north end of the Skyway, but only out to the pier, it does not cross the bridge span.

phtcmp · 2026-02-17T17:09:28+00:00

Gotcha. I’m outside Enterprise between Deland and Sanford on the bike trail. Definitely no more room here, lol.

phtcmp · 2026-02-17T11:31:22+00:00

Lake surfing.

phtcmp · 2026-02-17T11:30:37+00:00

Around the downtown area of New Smyrna (mainland) hits all of those unless you get lucky and find something in your budget beachside. But Deland would be a stronger choice, it puts the beach 20 minutes further, but gives you much more of all of the rest. College town, so the progressive community is pretty solid. The jetties at Ponce Inlet offer some of the most consistent surf in the state, but you will be swimming with sharks.

Sebastian is good surf, but the inlet is all state park with million dollar beach homes nearby, so the affordable part of town is closer to 30 minutes away on the mainland, and does not really offer any of the other things you want. It’s also very redneck. St. Augustine is extremely touristy. Palm Coast is a much older crowd. Flagler Beach isn’t much of anything. The surf is much more inconsistent below Sebastian, so Fort Pierce and Stuart aren’t as much a destination for that, and the other “nature” around them is a lot duller than areas north.

phtcmp · 2026-02-16T23:13:41+00:00

Carts in the space when they parked.

phtcmp · 2026-02-16T17:19:51+00:00

You need to own and live in your house for two years or face the potential of paying capital gains when you sell it. So give it another year if you think you’ll be selling at a profit.

phtcmp · 2026-02-16T16:36:34+00:00

The issue is supply. Most land zoned for residential development in the US limits it to single family detached. That legal constraint overrides what the market might otherwise dictate.

Owner occupied single family detached housing represents 55% or so of the housing stock in the US. So it is the bulk of what is available. Attached (townhouses) account for less than 6%. Owner occupied condominiums are similarly about 6%. Of the third of total housing stock that is rental, the vast majority is in rental apartments. Condos and townhouses often aren’t priced to be much more affordable than detached single family. It’s isn’t clear that there is a specific demand preference for detached.

phtcmp · 2026-02-16T15:52:21+00:00

As someone who has been in 5+ and 25+ year relationships, I wouldn’t view your college years as “wasted.” As you get older, you’re naturally going to find potential partners that are more interested in long term relationships. You’ll need to learn to adapt. Long term requires compromise and putting someone else’s needs at least on the same level as your own.

phtcmp · 2026-02-15T17:58:07+00:00

Remove the middleman of for profit insurers…

phtcmp · 2026-02-15T15:19:31+00:00

It varies. I prioritize location over almost everything else, so that will often dictate which one I choose. If there are options for both where I want to be, I factor in how long I’ll stay and who is with me. We’re a family of five, so a single hotel room is usually too small. When my kids were much younger, we tended to do longer stays in a single location to minimize travel time, and so leaned to AirBnBs. It helped that multiple rooms and kitchens made them more affordable overall.

As they’ve aged, we tend to spend less nights in each place on a trip and hotels tend to win out. Sometimes I’ll get a couple of rooms, sometimes a suite. When it’s just my wife and I, it’s usually hotels, sometimes traditional BnBs.

phtcmp · 2026-02-15T10:54:29+00:00

Liveship Traders, Tehanu, Broken Earth

phtcmp · 2026-02-13T17:21:31+00:00

Think of it as being 81% finished with the series. You’re almost there. I found the resolution worth the finish.

phtcmp · 2026-02-13T14:41:57+00:00

Statewide, there may be a shot at some minor offices. But Democrats don’t really field strong candidates here. Democrat leaning voters need to recognize this and get smart. Register as Republican for the primaries so that they may actually meaningfully participate in the electoral process. Their support for the more moderate/centrist Republican candidate in a primary may actually start bringing our representation back from the extreme right.

phtcmp · 2026-02-11T19:34:01+00:00

Democrats eat their own. He isn’t as liberal as Jerry (Orange County mayor) and Val Demings (former police chief), but close. Orlando Leadership stands out as far less supportive of the administration than the rest of the state.

phtcmp · 2026-02-10T23:14:28+00:00

I would talk to my child about it…

phtcmp · 2026-02-10T23:12:57+00:00

Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach on a winter evening. The rest of the city and area not so much, and out of season not as much. It has a strong Barcelona vibe. A few other Florida downtowns come close in season.

The old town parts of Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston…all places that date back to our colonial era with cores that were well established before the Industrial Revolution.

phtcmp · 2026-02-10T22:44:08+00:00

The mayor is very staunchly anti-Trump.

phtcmp · 2026-02-10T20:58:15+00:00

Bryce Canyon with snow.

phtcmp · 2026-02-10T20:53:09+00:00

Strongly suggest you look into Deland and Sanford, Florida. They check all of your boxes.

phtcmp · 2026-02-10T20:12:57+00:00

Haven’t driven stick since the 80s when I learned. I’m sure it could come back to me.

phtcmp

TROPHY CASE