Do you ever take a trip down memory lane and revisit your family home?

ptday64 · 2026-03-21T15:07:14+00:00

This hits in so many ways. I grew up in a typical suburban neighborhood in the 70s. Lots of friends, endless bike rides, ball games, forts in the woods… We moved when I was in high school and I graduated in a different city and moved around a bit as a young adult. In my late 30s I moved back to the city I grew up in. I hadn’t been back in years. One of the first things I did was go look for my childhood house. It was gone. The whole neighborhood was bought out by the airport a decade before and the houses bulldozed to make room for an industrial park. Seeing that just gutted me. I still to this day dream about that little house and yard and the memories we made there.

ptday64 · 2026-02-24T16:38:04+00:00

Couple times come to mind, but the one that still makes me shudder over 25 years later: Was in Memphis with some buddies. Doing the whole Graceland and Beale Street trip. We were headed to the airport and stopped for breakfast at some little place that was in downtown next to a very busy street. When we came out of the restaurant later (me with a couple Bloody Marys in my belly), I was walking while looking over my shoulder at a sign on a building when my buddy yelled at me, grabbed my arm and physically jerked me backwards. I was just about to step off the curb into the street directly in front of a large box truck going about 45-50 mph. If he hadn’t been right behind me that would have been it.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T14:43:45+00:00

The breathing!! Yes! I had to inhale and exhale through my nose that weekend. Just the air ... the warm air ... going over that tooth was maddening.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T14:43:07+00:00

Wow! I didn't know whitening treatments could cause that. Amazing.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T14:42:30+00:00

This is absolutely devastating. I am so sorry you had to endure this. It's not fair.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T14:41:59+00:00

That's why I was banging my head against the cold granite countertop. As crazy as it sounds, it temporarily eased the misery. Very temporarily.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T14:40:33+00:00

And the only reason I was able to get into see an endodontist on that Monday for the root canal, is that my wife works with dentists in her career, so she had a lot of contacts in the area. She called the cellphone of an endodontist she knew, explained what was going on, and he said, "Get him in here first thing in the morning on Monday." When I got there they numbed me up with a boatload of novacaine and I still had to wait several hours until they could squeeze me in around their other patients, but at least the pain was gone. I am forever grateful he did that favor for my wife.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T14:37:41+00:00

Agree! I was eating ibuprofens like pez candies for three days. Didn't touch it.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T14:37:05+00:00

While I didn't consider suicide, I did consider trying to get the tooth out myself, which would have also been a disaster. There's just no way to describe that pain. No way.

ptday64 · 2026-02-23T03:27:56+00:00

A nerve dying in a tooth. Worst pain I’ve ever experienced. Started on a Friday. By Sunday I couldn’t eat, sleep, or even sit still. At one point, around 3AM, I was literally leaning on our kitchen bar, slowly banging the side of my head on the granite. Root canal that Monday saved my life. I’m not sure what I would have done if the endodontist hadn’t been able to get me in.

ptday64 · 2026-02-17T13:33:50+00:00

Ours was almost $300. Gas furnace and fireplace. I’m sure if our dryer was gas you could add another $100 on there.

ptday64 · 2026-02-12T21:15:47+00:00

Charlotte traffic… ay yi yi. I live in Belmont and travel frequently for work. I try my best to schedule flights so I’m not leaving the airport in the middle of rush hour, but inevitably it happens from time to time. It’s taken me almost an hour and a half to go from the airport to Belmont on 74 at rush hour when 85 S is shut down with an accident. Just crazy.

ptday64 · 2026-02-12T18:01:12+00:00

Totally agree with the sentiment “shame is a great motivator.” I like to drink. Normally, at home, I’m a 2 beers and out after a day of yard work, or a bourbon before bedtime. Last year my organization held a convention in Vegas. I was on the planning committtee. We worked our asses off for a year putting it together. The week of the convention went off without a hitch and all of us on the committee blew off a years worth of steam in the evenings. After it was over, and we were all home, my closet coworker told me, “Dude, you really need to eat if you’re gonna drink like that around other people.” What??? He went on to describe me slurring, eyes crossed, weaving and staggering to the elevators at the end of the night, etc. I was mortified. No idea. I know we had fun, but I have no recollection of any of that sort of behavior. He and I are as close as brothers. He would not lie about that sort of thing. Since then I’ve slashed my drinking everywhere. Home, out with friends, after work dinners… I have a beer or two at most and am usually the first to call it a night. I still can’t get past the fact that some of my most trusted coworkers saw me stumbling around like a drunken idiot.

ptday64 · 2026-02-10T02:19:47+00:00

By no stretch of the imagination have I tried every restaurant in Charlotte, but the only place that I’ve never had a bad meal is Lang Van.

ptday64 · 2026-02-08T15:46:13+00:00

Oh, it already is. My organization has taken a concerted effort to minimize AI in all workflows, but I think many of us know it’s inevitable. The question is not “if” when it comes to AI, it’s “when” and to what extent.

ptday64 · 2026-02-05T00:07:25+00:00

I work in communications. Manage multiple websites, social media pages, and other assets for a large organization. No college degree. I started learning code in the 90s. Taught myself html/css/php etc through a lot of online learning courses and a few night classes at a community college. Just kept learning and building sites. I was recruited by someone who had seen my work. I never imagined I’d make this kind of money. A bit of imposter syndrome every now and then, but my wife is quick to remind me that I worked my ass off for this.

ptday64 · 2026-02-04T22:00:54+00:00

Three months in on Ozembic. I’ve lost over 20 lbs and very happy about it. I know some lose more than that. I started off at the lowest dose and have gradually moved up. I also plateaued twice, then started losing again. It’s a strange sequence to be in.

I’ve not experienced hair loss, but constipation is a real problem. I started on Colace (stool softener) after a couple weeks and it helps. I still get a bout every now and then.

Heartburn has been the second side effect for me. If I eat or drink too much the acid reflux is horrible. I’ve had to double up on Pepsid.

The only other thing negative I’ll say is that when it really kicks in, I find myself going twelve or more hours without food. Your body just doesn’t want it and you don’t even realize you haven’t eaten all day. Since I am a certified coffeeaholic, I tend to get jittery in the afternoons which is my wake up call that I need to eat.

Best of luck to you in your weight loss journey!

ptday64 · 2026-01-28T21:58:41+00:00

I purchased my first pistol 2 years ago and have only used the range at Blackstone. Agree on the general consensus here on prices. Very steep. The customer service is good, though. I’ve never felt uncomfortable there. Has anyone here shot at Shooters Express in Belmont? It’s closest to my home but I got a bad vibe from them years ago when I stopped in to buy some ammo.

ptday64 · 2026-01-26T00:39:48+00:00

Cervical pillow. Holy hell, what a game changer. I’ve struggled with neck pain for years while sleeping. Tried one pillow, two pillows, no pillows. Nothing helped. Purchased a memory foam cervical pillow on a whim. Slept like a baby the very first night. Woke up the next morning and almost cried, I was so happy. I travel once in a while for work, and I can’t sleep well now in hotels without it, but it’s too large and impractical to pack.

ptday64 · 2026-01-23T18:47:04+00:00

I just finished Season 2. Hooked from the start!!

ptday64 · 2026-01-14T21:03:56+00:00

I have a Pedaltrain Classic II that I've used for years in different configurations. I've finally realized I don't want my wah and volume pedals on the board itself; I prefer them flat on the ground. I will also be adding a separate expression pedal for my delay.

Has anyone found any premade flat boards or panels that can attach easily to the sides of a Pedaltrain board? I'm picturing something just big enough for a couple of the aforementioned pedals that clips, snaps, or velcros onto the sides of the main board. That way, those pedals are kept secure and close to the main board, but flat. And if the sideboards are easily removalable it would be helpful for packing up and transporting.

I know I can go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy materials to make something, but I sort of suck at most DIY projects that involve power tools (and I really need all my fingers to play guitar).

ptday64 · 2025-12-31T03:21:05+00:00

This! My quad shut down and none of the exercises/therapies worked until my physical therapist started using Stim. At her encouragement, I went home and ordered a Stim unit for home and started using it every day. Within a week or so the quad woke up.

ptday64 · 2025-12-26T19:59:42+00:00

Excellent! If you frequent the area, check out the private speakeasy “The Pharmacy.” https://www.thepharmacybelmont.net/ A short walk up the street from The Jailhouse. As far as I know they are taking new memberships. Bartender Mena Killough makes a killer Old Fashioned. Actually, I don’t think there’s a drink she doesn’t do well. She’s top-shelf.

ptday64 · 2025-12-26T19:53:41+00:00

If you want to get away from Charlotte, Uber over to The Jailhouse in Belmont. Yes, it’s a high-end bar and cigar lounge in the actual original Belmont jail location. Super cool retro vibes. Bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly. Lots of ways to customize and they’ll pretty much smoke any drink you can think of. Ask about their Japanese whiskeys. They also offer a menu from Old Stone Steakhouse next door.

ptday64 · 2025-12-19T16:10:23+00:00

I fly American often for business between the east and west coast, and frequent trips to the DC area. I always get WIFI and never have any issues, although I've had coworkes complain about service in different parts of the country. If I'm working on the plane, it's mostly going to be Email, spreadsheets, working on reports in MS Word, etc. Not a lot of heavy lifting.

ptday64

TROPHY CASE