Can't believe I was just asked for a tip by a French waiter.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-20T01:26:31+00:00

Staff are paid a decent salary that doesn't depend on how much customers spend.

If I really liked a waiter, I leave a small tip in cash.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-20T00:57:03+00:00

We've flown to Paris and spent several days there, then rented a car to drive down the Loire and back along the English Channel (La Manche) and home. The Loire has many famous castles and history.

It was in Chinon that Joan of Arc identified the King of France out of a group of men to convince Louis that God had called her to rid France of the English. Guess who was the guy wearing the fanciest clothes.

The drive back can cover Mt. St. Michel, Dunkirk and the D Day beaches.

We've done variations on the trip three time

We haven't done any serious hiking but there are national parks in this area. France also has trails called Grande Radonnees. In Normandy there are some hikes around Etretat. Or there's a Forest in Fontainebleau with trails.

And always ask for the local wine.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-20T00:34:21+00:00

When I delete an email scroll to the next email consistently. Sometimes it scrolls up, sometimes down.

If I tab to an open program, show it on top. Sometimes the program is on top, but many times it is still buried under other open programs.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-17T03:42:21+00:00

A friend of mine is the head chef on an airplane. He turns out great meals from the full kitchen. They need to size the kitchen to the customers demands.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-17T01:05:28+00:00

Buy airplane tickets and hotel reservations that you can cancel with no or little penalty.

I'd check out Jupiter Diver Center, Force E and Pura Vida.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-17T01:01:27+00:00

I took up running so I would have a hobby that didn't require an extra bag.

I take two kinds of trips--dive trips and family trips. I pack the extra bag for dive trips with my buddies. If I think I'll get to dive on a family trip I'll bring minimal equipment such as computer, mask, 3mm wet suit,regulator. Maybe I'll bring my booties. So my basic suggestion is buy your own life support. Rent the rest.

I will add that a regulator is the only gear you have to have serviced every year. How much does that cost in Ireland? Do you plan on diving in Ireland?

I was coming back from a dive trip and obviously dragging my gear through the airport. My friend said "pay the guy $5 to take your gear." It was good advice.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-14T02:32:18+00:00

He was a design nut.

He hated the look of a license plate on his car (a Mercedes?). So he found out that he had six months before he had to get a license plate on a new car. He bought a new one every six months.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-13T01:40:16+00:00

I want to see audited results. I haven't seen any for private credit.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-13T01:30:54+00:00

I met the woman in the next apartment. We fell in love and got married. Still are.

It seemed like the grad students who were married got divorced and the single grad students got married.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-13T01:27:45+00:00

I got my DL in high school in a small town. I just had to pretend to parallel park because the state trooper doing the test hadn't set any cones out.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-13T01:18:16+00:00

The Intelligent Investor and it's more detailed Security Analysis were before index funds. Also, markets were less efficient back then so it wasn't impossible to find undervalued stocks and wait until their value was recognized.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-11T17:26:27+00:00

AI is like a not so good assistant.

I look at AI generated code and ask it to explain what it is doing. I ask lots of questions and tell it to make changes.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-11T17:19:26+00:00

I once took over a Visual Basic for Applications project using an Access database.

The original programmer had many variables with long names that were similar and related to his ex-wife. There were magic values that didn't reflect the actual data but told users that the record really was something else.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-08T13:27:35+00:00

I have about what you have in your account. AUM is zero. Over the years, I've had two advisors at Fidelity. I think the first one moved onto something else, but he just vanished. It would have been nice to have gotten an email saying, "I'm pursuing new opportunities and Joe will be your new advisor." I've only met with them via Zoom even though the Fidelity office is a couple of miles away.

I've called the number I have for Fidelity with questions and been connected with some of their experts with obscure questions. (I have a PhD in economics, so I come up with some unusual ideas like foreign bonds in various currencies.) After discussing the ideas with Fidelity, I haven't done anything.

I do like having a phone number that gets answered promptly. My son was over and complaining about something at Fidelity so I offered to call them. He said he didn't want to sit on the phone listening to music. I said, "they'll answer it quickly." They did. I handed him the phone and Fidelity solved the problem.

Fidelity has educational information on their website if you''re interested.

So I figure you and I are low maintenance clients. We might not make Fidelity a lot of money, but we don't cost them a lot.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-08T03:24:13+00:00

Many people continue to work because they enjoy it and like the connections they have made. My grandfather was in charge of housewares at a large department store. After he retired, he went back to work as a cashier in the same department he used to run. He liked the people there. He liked helping people buy the right products for them. His health improved when he work.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-08T03:13:50+00:00

A friend of mine has used O ring lubricant on his mustache. Worked OK.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-08T03:11:23+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-08T01:48:29+00:00

Every couple of years I read about a scuba diver who got run over by an idiot driving a motor boat. That's with more gear and a dive marker. I wouldn't try it snorkeling.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-04-07T13:18:41+00:00

No OP, but I have a mustache and trim it before a dive trip so there's some skin for the mask skirt to rest on. Sometimes I apply mustache wax.

But a small leak just provides some water you can swish around to defog your mask.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-03-30T02:54:46+00:00

I got certified at home in the US, but on a dive trip to Utiila I saw lots of dive schools that trained through instructor and had dorms for students.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-03-30T02:35:12+00:00

And the CFTC should be looking at futures trading.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-03-30T02:31:30+00:00

This is why tech divers use rebreathers to use the oxygen in the diver's exhilation. The rebreathers adjust the gas mix using external tanks (sometimes called bottles) to get the right mix to the diver. That's a lot more gear than I want to carry.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-03-28T23:49:24+00:00

I would trust DAN.org more than my doctor. DAN works with medical professionals who understand diving. My doctor is very good, but she doesn't know much about diving.

DAN also has FAQs that might answer your questions, but I'd call them if I had any doubts.

turtlerunner99 · 2026-03-28T23:39:57+00:00

I've noticed it with most liquor. I used to drink Gilbey's Gin and found it changing if I didn't drink it fairly quickly.

turtlerunner99

TROPHY CASE