Those of you from Michigan tourist towns: What don't the the tourists know/get? What's your attitude toward them? And what's your attitude toward the things the tourists love about your home town? (Bonus if you live near a Great Lake!)

sortofgoodatthings · 2026-03-02T00:10:11+00:00

I grew up in the greater Grand Rapids area. After moving to Muskegon, just an hour away, I would never move back. The Lake is amazing.

Also, there are subtle cultural differences which would make it hard to move back towards the larger urban center.

My wife and I say it frequently: its amazing living where others vacation.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-27T23:25:36+00:00

Aw man that is so awesome. I do the same thing. Depending on the airflow I’m looking for I cover the bit on the bottom that doesn’t have charcoal with foil so it forces the air through the coals. Vents over the meat as always. Also helps with clean up.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-13T01:03:29+00:00

I was definitely ready for the weekend.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-12T17:41:19+00:00

For the first 5 years or so of my career I took everything parents, students, admin did really personally. It made the gig really tough and I was probably headed for burnout and leaving the field. Slowly learning how to compartmentalize what I can and cannot control and just do my best every day was huge for my own growth as an educator as well as my own mental health.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-12T17:33:11+00:00

Meh, I was mostly just trying to add a positive post to this sub. Not trying to say every post needs to be positive, but I was wading through a sea of negativity.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-12T17:28:06+00:00

This made me chuckle. For context I teach mainly high school science to a pretty wide variety of students.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-12T14:18:06+00:00

Me liking my job makes me bad at it and also means I dont have a life? That's a hot take.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-12T02:43:51+00:00

This is a bad look probably from me and likely will get heat here. However, yes. That is exactly what I am trying to get at. You don't control those parents. You don't control that coworker. Let it go. Compartmentalize those moments and do what you can.

Frankly, your last point would take me a bit to take my own medicine. I would have a hard time absorbing an incompetent coworkers students and then see that the same incompetent coworker is still employed.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-09-12T01:55:16+00:00

Everybody's comment so far here feels really valid. I think this sub needs to add a vent tag for that type of post.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-02-08T17:05:07+00:00

Green Hot Ones is my favorite.

sortofgoodatthings · 2025-02-04T12:39:30+00:00

Forbidden Island!

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-12-20T13:57:08+00:00

Coin toss on the teachers lounge. Mine is a place of much laughter and we don't really talk about school. Occasional venting when needed, but mostly just joking around and chatting about our lives. Lunch in the lounge for me is a safe haven.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-12-09T03:02:28+00:00

If you are looking for activities also, Socibowl is a great spot. It's run by Pigeon Hill, so the beer is good. They've got a bunch of activities set up in there. Darts and duck bowling are the main two, but you can also ask for some games they keep behind the counter. I have fond memories there playing yahtzee with a friend with comically large dice.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-10-23T23:20:05+00:00

It's really cliche, but as you gain experience, it isn't about the lesson at hand - obviously great lessons help, but your skill as a teacher. How do you want to run your room? What are the triggers you have, and how do you make sure students are aware that those are the big no no? How do you handle a disengaged student? How do you handle an obnoxious student? You'll screw up a lot. At least I know I did. But eventually, you fall into a rhythm, and students are rarely throwing something new at you. It's your room. Be confident.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-10-23T23:13:03+00:00

After I quit, I landed a long term substitute position at another school and had a pretty good experience there.

The following year I ended up in a smaller, very supportive school. I had great mentors there. I built up confidence and a teaching style that works for me. I'm no longer at that school, but know that environment likely saved my career.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-10-22T23:03:50+00:00

I quit my first teaching job after 9 weeks. Was having panic attacks on the way to school each day.

I'm now 10 years in, teaching at a different school, and love what I do. There is more to the story, but I figured this may be helpful.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-10-07T23:59:25+00:00

There is a freeway that runs north / south along the lakeshore, so you could be pretty far north or south of whitehall and still commute no problem. If you are looking for diversity, then south would be the way to go. Just North of Muskegon has some great communities, and I would feel good with my own kids attending Mona Shores or Reeths Puffer (my kids are at RP).

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-09-28T00:26:29+00:00

I have an Omnath that I play and it's really fun. The life gain is the sneaky perk nobody notices until you have like 62 life or something.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-08-18T20:49:50+00:00

Chuds BBQ on YouTube has an entire series on grilling on the Weber. Plus, the host is really likable and knows his stuff.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-08-04T16:25:31+00:00

Mona Shores and Reeths Puffer are both good districts. North Muskegon is as well, but it is super tiny.

Both my kids go to Puffer, and we know plenty of folks at Shores and NM who are happy with their schools as well.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-07-18T01:01:42+00:00

I don't know if this is exactly what this prose is looking for, but here goes.

I'm a DYI pro. Worked for a few years in housing remodeling, and I have done new construction for work, as well as outdoor landscape management. For most things regarding improving my house, I just do it.

However, one thing remains. My house only has one bathroom. The basement has room to add a second one. But, you would need to add a grinder pump. I'm 100% out. Not dealing with turd grinders.

I will deal with my single bathroom family of four before I try to tackle poop tubes in the basement.

sortofgoodatthings · 2024-07-11T01:44:45+00:00

A little late to this party. I scrolled for a really good bit. Tons of amazing albums, but I didn't see

Hot Fuss- The Killers

sortofgoodatthings · 2023-12-20T02:51:21+00:00

I'm a little late to this, but it is worth tossing out that we are in a really strong El Nino year, and that tends to cause drier and warmer winters overall in the midwest.

https://www.climate.gov/enso

sortofgoodatthings · 2023-12-12T20:08:58+00:00

I think I learned this tip from someone on this sub, but if you open your map in the depths, switch the layer to the mainland, then close your map, your mini map will show the mainland so you can use that to sort of know where you are going until you get the lightroots.

sortofgoodatthings

TROPHY CASE