ach's recent activity

  1. Comment on Taskmaster Series 17, Episode 1 - 'Grappling with my life' | Full episode in ~tv

    ach
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    Really enjoyed the first episode - this lineup seems pretty fun. Steve Pemberton is so quick! His task with the egg was really clever.

    Really enjoyed the first episode - this lineup seems pretty fun. Steve Pemberton is so quick! His task with the egg was really clever.

    4 votes

  2. Comment on What are some your best pieces of advice for planning and executing a successful wedding? in ~life

    ach
    Link
    Three things that I learned from our wedding day. Don't be afraid to delegate. You and your spouse should be enjoying the day and each other as much as possible, so don't worry about doing little...

    Three things that I learned from our wedding day.

    1. Don't be afraid to delegate. You and your spouse should be enjoying the day and each other as much as possible, so don't worry about doing little stuff yourself. We needed our car moved between wedding and reception, so we asked a good friend to do it. SIL and mothers set up the centerpieces at the reception. FIL was in charge of directing people in the reception venue. If you have an event planner, they should handle this, but if it's more DIY, just ask for help.

    2. Hire a professional photographer. I've had a few friends use an acquaintance or someone "just starting out" and they were very disappointed with their pictures. We hired a pro and have some wonderful photos that we often look back at. It was our biggest expense after the venue/food but totally worth it.

    3. Enjoy the process. Hopefully, you only plan one wedding, so make sure to enjoy all the little things leading up. I'm one to always rush to get things finished and focus on the end result. But I really made an effort to slow down and enjoy the planning process. I have fond memories of choosing tie colors, picking invitations, listening to first dance songs, etc. To quote Dawes, "it's not some stupid little ring, I'm getting a little bit of everything".

    2 votes

  3. Comment on First time homebuyer who just closed on a house, does anyone have any general advice? in ~life.home_improvement

    ach
    Link
    Pay attention to water around your home. Are your gutters and downspouts flowing properly? Is there standing water anywhere near the foundation or in the yard after it rains? During heavy rains,...

    Pay attention to water around your home. Are your gutters and downspouts flowing properly? Is there standing water anywhere near the foundation or in the yard after it rains? During heavy rains, where does the water from the downspouts go? Unaddressed drainage problems in and around your home can cause major damage over time.

    Case in point, our back patio has sunk over the years and is now collecting water right next to our foundation. Hydrostatic pressure can cause foundation issues and water intrusion if you have a basement.

    We also had a downspout that was dumping water right onto the driveway for years. This eventually eroded a trench underneath the driveway causing some major cracks and setting in the concrete. We've since redirected the downspout into the yard, well away from the house and driveway.

    8 votes

  4. Comment on Any woodworkers here? in ~hobbies

    ach
    Link Parent
    Tell me more about your desk. I'm currently collecting ideas for my own. I'm leaning towards something like Adrian Preda's cherry desk at the moment.

    Tell me more about your desk. I'm currently collecting ideas for my own. I'm leaning towards something like Adrian Preda's cherry desk at the moment.

  5. Comment on Any woodworkers here? in ~hobbies

    ach
    Link
    Been woodworking on and off for many years, but I've been getting more serious about it recently. Mostly hand tools, but still use power tools for milling (I'm not a complete masochist lol). Built...

    Been woodworking on and off for many years, but I've been getting more serious about it recently. Mostly hand tools, but still use power tools for milling (I'm not a complete masochist lol). Built a Nicholson bench two years ago and currently working on a moxon bench-on-bench to compliment it. Also slowly working on replacing most of our furniture with pieces I've made, but that's a slow and expensive process.

    I've been missing /r/woodworking since RIF died. Would love a new source for discussion and inspiration.

    9 votes

  6. Comment on Help me build my “woke” Fourth of July playlist in ~music

    ach
    Link
    IDLES - Danny Nedelko Written by a British band about the UK, but I think the message applies to America as well. It's also an absolute banger.

    IDLES - Danny Nedelko

    Written by a British band about the UK, but I think the message applies to America as well. It's also an absolute banger.

  7. Comment on Are there any other simracing enthusiasts? in ~games

    ach
    Link Parent
    I think the endurance events are more rewarding too. Seems like more of an accomplishment than grinding out weekly races. iRacing does nickle-and-dime you. If you run one or two series, it's not...

    I think the endurance events are more rewarding too. Seems like more of an accomplishment than grinding out weekly races.

    iRacing does nickle-and-dime you. If you run one or two series, it's not terrible, but the costs add up. They do develop the sim very actively and are pretty responsive to fixing bugs, so it does feel like the money is put to good use.

  8. Comment on Are there any other simracing enthusiasts? in ~games

    ach
    Link
    I play iRacing in VR almost exclusively. I used to race in a weekly Porsche Cup league (Season 3 Am Champion!), but the practice requirements are too much now. I've pivoted to doing mainly...

    I play iRacing in VR almost exclusively. I used to race in a weekly Porsche Cup league (Season 3 Am Champion!), but the practice requirements are too much now. I've pivoted to doing mainly endurance events. The occasional solo two-hour event and the bigger races every few months. I just did a 24 hour of Le Mans (P3 in GT Am) and 6 hour of Watkins Glen. I find it much easier to casually practice in the few weeks leading up to the event and then commit one day every few months to a race versus practicing a new track every week.

    Setup is mid/high end, I guess.
    Simucube 2 base
    Gomez GXL wheel
    Heusinkveld Sprints
    8020 rig
    HP Reverb G2

    1 vote

  9. Comment on What are the summer activities you are looking forward to? in ~health

    ach
    Link Parent
    I love a good hardtail. I find riding a full-suspension too much makes me lazy and skills like line choice get dull. Obviously full-suspension is almost necessary for downhill type stuff. Used...

    I love a good hardtail. I find riding a full-suspension too much makes me lazy and skills like line choice get dull. Obviously full-suspension is almost necessary for downhill type stuff.

    Used market can be great. I haven't looked in a while, but my full-suspension and first hardtail both came from FB marketplace, basically unused and 40% off from new.

    1 vote

  10. Comment on What are the summer activities you are looking forward to? in ~health

    ach
    Link Parent
    I consider mountain biking my main physical activity. I do some road or gravel rides occasionally too, but like you, I find riding on the road too dangerous. Mountain biking brings its own risks,...

    I consider mountain biking my main physical activity. I do some road or gravel rides occasionally too, but like you, I find riding on the road too dangerous. Mountain biking brings its own risks, but I think it's not too hard to ride within your limits and slowly work up to harder trails. My most frequented trail is actually a green, multiuse trail not far from my house. I know it so well, I can rip around it pretty quick and make it more interesting than it should be lol.

    Do you have a bike already or looking to get one?

    1 vote

  11. Comment on What were your gardening adventures this weekend? in ~hobbies

    ach
    Link Parent
    Thank you! They are cedar, so that's the natural color. I did put on some teak oil on and will do so annually to hopefully slow the greying process. But eventually they will turn grey.

    Thank you! They are cedar, so that's the natural color. I did put on some teak oil on and will do so annually to hopefully slow the greying process. But eventually they will turn grey.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on What were your gardening adventures this weekend? in ~hobbies

    ach
    Link
    For a while we'd been wanting to build some raised planters for our backyard. With two dogs, anything ground level gets run over pretty frequently. So I built these planters a couple weeks ago and...

    For a while we'd been wanting to build some raised planters for our backyard. With two dogs, anything ground level gets run over pretty frequently. So I built these planters a couple weeks ago and we installed them this weekend. Had to do a small retaining wall as well. Really happy with how they turned out and the plants should love the fresh soil and not getting trampled.

    Before/after: https://imgur.com/a/CrpxjHg

    3 votes

  13. Comment on What are your thoughts on qualifying/provisional grid for the Canadian F1 Grand Prix? in ~sports.motorsports

    ach
    Link Parent
    In my opinion, if you impede someone in qualifying, you shouldn't be allowed to advanced to the next session. Yes Sainz got a grid drop, but he should be starting P15 or lower, not P11. The...

    In my opinion, if you impede someone in qualifying, you shouldn't be allowed to advanced to the next session. Yes Sainz got a grid drop, but he should be starting P15 or lower, not P11. The stewards are so slow with these decisions and always hand out penalties after the session when they have minimal effect.

    2 votes

  14. Comment on What are the greatest TV intro songs of all time? in ~tv

    ach
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    MASH is pretty high up there for me. The lyrics to the full song are heavy.

    MASH is pretty high up there for me. The lyrics to the full song are heavy.

    28 votes

  15. Comment on Sitting with boredom in ~talk

    ach
    Link Parent
    I've been to a couple of the annual events for the US club. They actually used to be pretty local to us. I'd like to go to some more. It's amazing to see what these dogs can do!

    I've been to a couple of the annual events for the US club. They actually used to be pretty local to us. I'd like to go to some more. It's amazing to see what these dogs can do!

    2 votes

  16. Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp

    ach
    Link Parent
    Oh man, you're about to go down a rabbit hole lol. The sim is pretty great. They're always improving things and some cars are better than others, but overall it's fairly realistic. The laser...

    Oh man, you're about to go down a rabbit hole lol. The sim is pretty great. They're always improving things and some cars are better than others, but overall it's fairly realistic. The laser scanned tracks are excellent. Also their match making system is superb and is what really sets it apart from other sims.

    1 vote

  17. Comment on Sitting with boredom in ~talk

    ach
    Link Parent
    Midwestern US. Are you familiar with the trainer Sara Brueske? She had a Koolie that needed a pet home and it worked out for us to take one in. She's been a fantastic dog and it's been really fun...

    Midwestern US. Are you familiar with the trainer Sara Brueske? She had a Koolie that needed a pet home and it worked out for us to take one in. She's been a fantastic dog and it's been really fun to learn about the breed. I would definitely want to get another in the future.

    2 votes

  18. Comment on What is going on in your city? in ~talk

    ach
    Link Parent
    What are your feelings about that? In my city, we've had lots of issues with AirBnBs. Parties that get out of control, shootings, general debauchery. So I definitely see the need to crack down on...

    What are your feelings about that?

    In my city, we've had lots of issues with AirBnBs. Parties that get out of control, shootings, general debauchery. So I definitely see the need to crack down on them. That said, when I travel I love getting a place in an apartment or small house in a neat neighborhood. I feel like it gives me a more complete experience of wherever I'm staying than if I were in a hotel. So I'm torn on these bans.

    3 votes

  19. Comment on Sitting with boredom in ~talk

    ach
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    Oh wow - another Koolie owner! :) I always get excited when I find another since it isn't a hugely popular breed. I definitely agree with applying this to herding dogs. Though I've found Koolies...

    Oh wow - another Koolie owner! :) I always get excited when I find another since it isn't a hugely popular breed.

    I definitely agree with applying this to herding dogs. Though I've found Koolies seem to be better with this than some other breeds. We have friends with Border Collies and they are 110% all the time.

    We have our big energy activity - frisbee, and then a few lower energy things like chewing bones, and then like you've described, moments of just hanging out. Ours is 10 now, so she's leaning more into the chill times, but it was a struggle when she was younger.

    3 votes

  20. Comment on Help me with flexibility in ~health

    ach
    Link
    I'm a big fan of Tom Merrick on YouTube. His channel can be a bit vloggy, but he has several 10-30 minute flexibility routines that are really good. After following along with them several times,...

    I'm a big fan of Tom Merrick on YouTube. His channel can be a bit vloggy, but he has several 10-30 minute flexibility routines that are really good. After following along with them several times, I found the stretches I liked and have kind of put together my own routine. He also has some more in depth routines for things like splits, pancakes, etc. if you ever want to go down that path.

    1 vote