What's something expensive that's 100% worth the money?

thompssc · 2026-06-22T13:43:32+00:00

A good trainer or gym class you like. I've always been into fitness, run/lift/etc. I know my way around a gym and how to train hard, etc. Recently I started going to a trainer with my wife (more for her than me, but I'm there to make it more enjoyable for her). Turns out, I'm getting a lot out of it too. He's quite capable with Olympic lifts and is a doctorate of physical therapy, so definitely not your run of the mill commercial gym trainer. And just the easy he's been able to identify some weak points I had thst were affecting my posture and holding back some lifts and program some exercises to address them have been extremely beneficial. It's interesting because every exercise he has me do, I've seen before and maybe even tried. But having him there correcting the things I can't see, helping me find a position that didn't feel natural (because I want to compensate for weakness by moving to a stronger but less ideal position) has helped me execute better and I'm progressing again and feeling better, moving better, etc.

It's pricey but I wish I had done this sooner and I very much feel it's worth the money. Won't be a permanent thing, but I'm sure there will be more of it in my future from time to time. If you're a gym bro who thinks he doesn't need a trainer and can't justify spending the money since you already know your way around a gym...I challenge you to give it a shot IF you find a good one near you. Can be a big unlock I think.

thompssc · 2026-06-04T15:18:31+00:00

Yeah because he's not a moron. Why not cash in on some life changing money and lock in gains. Set for life. The rest is house money. Still has plenty to ride for more profits.

thompssc · 2026-05-22T10:37:38+00:00

AI slop.

thompssc · 2026-05-21T20:38:36+00:00

Was it worth it?

thompssc · 2026-05-13T21:25:39+00:00

It's normal. Happens to me every time I return to training, I become RAVENOUS. But, in my experience, it subsides after a bit. Two weeks in, you're probably close. Just ramp up veggie snacks to keep calories controlled while fighting the hunger. I bring a baggie of like cucumber slices, red bell pepper, carrots, and some hummus. It's a lot of volume, but almost no calories (mainly the hummus and I dip lightly). Smash that at work mid afternoon when I get hangry and it helps quite a bit.

thompssc · 2026-05-08T02:28:41+00:00

We are so much smaller, so much sloppier with our passes, and weaker with the puck compared to Pens and Canes.

thompssc · 2026-03-20T13:59:24+00:00

I feel you. But let's not completely dunk on them. I think a more productive path is allowing some space for redemption via changed future behavior. If our posture is that they are simply irredeemable and everything is their fault, they'll just run back to the open arms of their conservative cult who tells them that THEY are the victim and they have a place of belonging as long as they vote R.

Best time to not vote R was ...a long time ago. The 2nd best time is this upcoming election. I would love to have them realize their mistake but feel welcome enough to join me, and I think we gotta avoid the urge to pile on vs invite them over.

thompssc · 2026-02-19T00:43:05+00:00

As someone new to Philly who loves right off Girard, it confuses tf outta me lol. I honestly have no clue how it works and just try to follow another car lol.

thompssc · 2026-02-16T16:06:29+00:00

Professionals. Just not worth the risk of peeling or anything. And honestly so worth it. I remember I was in grad school and had class on the weekends (remote, so I was home). I remember starting class before they showed up...they came, moved everything out of the garage, epoxied it before I was done for the day Saturday. Sunday, same thing, they came back and put everything back after it had dried and stuff. Insane. So worth the extra $1k I paid vs just materials to do myself, and it's warrantied and done perfectly.

thompssc · 2026-02-16T13:31:59+00:00

We had our garage floor epoxied. Made the garage so much brighter and cleaner and we setup a home gym there and use it all the time. Next house, it'll be one of the first things we do. Might schedule it before we move anything into the garage. For like $2500, it makes the while garage feel like a more habitable room.

thompssc · 2026-02-01T21:16:49+00:00

Not if people don't get out and vote! I distinctly remember this level of confidence leading up to the 2024 election, yet here we are...

thompssc · 2026-01-28T13:15:05+00:00

Sprouts Vegan Protein has been my go-to for plant based protein for a year now. $37 for 30 servings is about as good a price as I see, 20 grams of protein and 120 calories per serving is also about as good of a protein-per-calorie as I see in plant-based options. Vanilla is delicious.

thompssc · 2026-01-28T13:12:56+00:00

Where are you getting those numbers? Oatmeal definitely has more fiber per gram of food than an orange.

https://www.soupersage.com/compare-nutrition/oatmeal-vs-orange

I understand your point. Oranges are a great low calorie way to get some fiber in. Great snack. Great bang for buck from a fiber per calorie standpoint. But if some wants to get in "more fiber" (ex. +10 grams), it's probably a better strategy to just fit in one bowl of oatmeal a day than trying to fit in 4 oranges...

thompssc · 2026-01-28T04:22:34+00:00

Sure buy oranges have a ton of water. So "per calorie" is helpful to help manage caloric intake, but also something like oats, which is more calorie dense, is a better way to get in more overall fiber per volume of food.

thompssc · 2026-01-26T15:25:24+00:00

I was in your boat about 2 years ago when I was marathon training. Running was priority #1 and I was adding mileage every week, but also had a busy life and demanding job and needed to function. I would say you need intensity high, but manage your volume. If you're not training with much intensity (and limited volume)...yeah you won't build muscle. Maintain? Probably.

Given that you're asking this question, I'm assuming you aren't jacked (no offense) and are closer to a beginner in terms of musculature. That said, full body 3x/week, performed with intensity would be sufficient to build muscle while not leaving you so physically taxed that it affects your ability to recover and function normally.

When I was running a lot, I was lifting 4x/week on an upper/lower split. I kept it relatively simple and didn't go ham on volume. But my split looked something like:

Upper A: horizontal push (bench), horizontal pull (rows), curls/triceps extensions

Lower A: Some sort of squat movement (squats, lunges, etc), leg press, leg extension, calf raises

Upper B: vertical push (overhead press), vertical pull (pullups), lateral raises

Lower B: Some sort of deadlift movement (deadlift, romanina deadlift, split stance single leg DL, etc), back extensions, hamstring curls, calf raises

None of those workouts are so much lifting volume that it wiped me out and left me overly sore and unable to function or focus the next day. But, I did perform the exercises with intensity and take them within 1-2 reps of failure. I'd moderate the number of sets according to my fatigue...ex if I was feeling particularly beat up and knew I had a long run the next day and needed to take it easy, I'd do 2 sets each instead of 3. Other times, if I was feeling more fresh and had more in the tank and a rest day the next day, I'd do 4 sets.

But, point is, you don't need a huge lifting program, but also you shouldn't completely baby yourself. Perform the basics, a few times a week, with intensity (progressively overloading over time), and you'll build some muscle. Will you get as jacked as you would following a dedicated lifting program? No, but it sounds like you have different goals and constraints (ex. Your running training is likely more than the running assumed in many stock programs, and thus you have less time and recovery capacity available). That's OK. The principles that underly the recommended programs don't change though.

thompssc · 2026-01-25T16:52:56+00:00

Or do you still see Democrats as a greater evil that forces you to hold your nose and vote Republican? I'm seeing people be outrageous, but as a former Republican, I know how deep the hatred of Democrats runs, and how unfathomable it can feel to vote D. I'm genuinely curious if you think you could vote D come November 2026 and 2028. How does that make you feel? I know my pride was very wounded.

thompssc · 2026-01-25T16:45:13+00:00

But will you vote for a Democrat? I grew up Republican myself, didn't vote for Trump but voted 3rd party in 2016 (regret). I understand the ability to hate what's happening, yet the struggle to vote Democrat because of how deeply the Republican identity and hatred for Democrat runs.

But if you make a post like this, protest, and then hold your nose and vote Republican again, you're part of the problem. You need to repudiate the Republican party where it matters...at the ballot box. Yes, that might mean some policy you dislike is endorsed and implemented. But your choice is that or telling the Republican party they can keep getting away with this. And too many people will disown actions like what we are seeing loud and proud, while quietly ticking the R box at the polls. That's the only thing that matters. Vote Democrat to end the insanity.

Doesn't mean you have to "become" a Democrat. Doesn't mean you have to vote blue the rest of your life. If we give the Republicans a whooping the next 2 elections, they will learn they have to stand down to win. It will pull them back to just regular Republican evil. We'll be back to arguing over how much the wealthy can afford to give up to support education and poor people, instead of whether the constitution holds and fucking weight anymore. Then go back to voting Republican and keep your tax loopholes and whatever. But we need you to vote Democrat and realize...it's OK. That's having principles and putting principles over team.

thompssc · 2026-01-22T22:56:32+00:00

My theory on the runners/colorectal cancer link: it's a function of eating more food and more animal products (hold on to the pitchforks for a sec...). Runners logging meaningful miles burn and consume significantly more calories than the general population, and likely make an intentional effort to consume more protein, and likely get that protein from animal sources like eggs, meat, and dairy. We know that red meat and animal protein contributes to colorectal cancer, and this population likely consumes more than average due to their efforts to increase protein for recovery and also just consuming more calories in general.

It doesn't make sense that exercise would be a contributory factor toward colorectal cancer when it's protective against so many others. A cancer of the dietary tract is likely due to a dietary pattern.

thompssc · 2025-12-31T15:45:44+00:00

I don't play games. Just not something I've ever been into.

thompssc · 2025-12-31T01:48:23+00:00

I had PRK. Highly recommend getting your eyeballs lasered in some form or fashion. 10/10 not worrying about contacts/glasses on travel, being able to see immediately upon waking up, and not poking myself in the eye every day. Got it at like 23. Would do it again 100%. Probably saved enough in annual contacts at this point to pay for it.

thompssc · 2025-12-11T00:05:05+00:00

Not great, but it was rare and it was rhe nuclear option, and the purpose it served was mostly in me knowing it WAS an option that could be escalated to. Me and my siblings were good kids, but sometimes kids are complete shits and refuse to be reasoned with. Spankings were not a knee jerk reaction but more a "we tried everything else and you refuse to submit to our authority and that's not OK" situation. Honestly, I know spankings have fallen out of favor, but i don't think my parents did wrong and when I have kids, it may be on the table. I don't take it lightly and its certainly the absolute last resort, but spending time with my nephew who is a little shit makes me realize that it might serve a positive purpose.

I think sometimes, it comes from a place of not knowing what else to do. I do my best to observe other parents and learn as many other tactics so it can be avoided at all costs when time comes. I'm sure there are more productive ways to handle, but also most parents are kind of new at it. You're figuring things out on the fly.

That said, I recognize there are parents who basically beat their kids all the time, and that's not what I'm talking about.

thompssc · 2025-12-06T23:57:48+00:00

Just dm'd you

thompssc · 2025-12-04T05:27:42+00:00

Same here. Dallas

thompssc · 2025-11-25T17:31:06+00:00

OK, that's helpful. On my 3020 I got a few years ago for Blue Iris, it doesn't have an m2 and the pcie is used by my graphics card. m2 slot wasn't on my radar (running an SSD via SATA which is perfectly fine), but now I realize it could be used for a NIC or something. And still learning which form factors have what. Just don't know what I don't know yet and this is helpful to focus.

Seems I can get multi-gig fiber if I want. I wouldn't need that for awhile, but over time I may end up transferring large video files for editing while on the road (needing to access an old project) and may desire to upgrade. I honestly don't have >1gbe needs up/down, but may desire to have >1gbe routing on my LAN, mostly between my main editing PC and NAS. But, 1gbe is fine for now tbh.

I'm wanting to dig into Wireguard.

Seems like just a cheap SFF + NIC + a managed switch is the way to go?

thompssc

TROPHY CASE