What's the stupidest thing you're lusting after right now?

[GilesMM]

Back to generators - if you live in a rural area and the power goes out, you have no water.  Water comes from a well, and is pumped against gravity, and no electricity means no pump.  So in the summer you can get water and your food rots, and in the winter your food is fine but there is no liquid water available.  If you have a sump and pump your pump also no longer works.

I had neighbours who, when they bought the house next door, changed out the old oil furnace for a propane one (no natural gas) and had a whole house generator hard-wired into the electrical panel, also running off the propane  It came on every Friday for 10 minutes, as a check that the system worked.

I didn't go that far but I had a backup sump pump wired to a large battery just for this situation, that was plugged in so always fully charged.  If the original pump died, or we lost power, my basement would not be flooded.

We were all survivors of The Ice Storm.

Or you can install a cistern to act as a buffer for usage and also as an emergency source of water. They have been used for ages!

But a cistern would have to be higher than the taps and toilets so they had gravity flow.  And given our winter temperatures, a cistern that high is going to have to be kept above freezing, which is hard during a power failure. 

The issue wasn't a lack of water, we had a great flow rate, it was a lack of electricity to get the water from the well to the pressure tank in the house.

The Ice Storm was in January (1998 if you want to Google it) so all surface water was frozen over.  We used a chain saw to get water from the pond for flushing toilets, but that wasn't drinkable water.

Best practice is to locate your cistern (and you well head, if possible) at the highest point on your property.   If freezing is a concern, it can be partially buried. Ours is about six feet underground at the base.  If you have a pressure bladder your system can hold pressure without the pump running for a period - depends on usage, volume in the pipes and bladder size.  When the big earthquake hits we will be using buckets to dip water out of the cistern until power is restored, which could be months.

[nereo]

Back to generators - if you live in a rural area and the power goes out, you have no water.  Water comes from a well, and is pumped against gravity, and no electricity means no pump.  So in the summer you can get water and your food rots, and in the winter your food is fine but there is no liquid water available.  If you have a sump and pump your pump also no longer works.

I had neighbours who, when they bought the house next door, changed out the old oil furnace for a propane one (no natural gas) and had a whole house generator hard-wired into the electrical panel, also running off the propane  It came on every Friday for 10 minutes, as a check that the system worked.

I didn't go that far but I had a backup sump pump wired to a large battery just for this situation, that was plugged in so always fully charged.  If the original pump died, or we lost power, my basement would not be flooded.

We were all survivors of The Ice Storm.

Or you can install a cistern to act as a buffer for usage and also as an emergency source of water. They have been used for ages!

But a cistern would have to be higher than the taps and toilets so they had gravity flow.  And given our winter temperatures, a cistern that high is going to have to be kept above freezing, which is hard during a power failure. 

The issue wasn't a lack of water, we had a great flow rate, it was a lack of electricity to get the water from the well to the pressure tank in the house.

The Ice Storm was in January (1998 if you want to Google it) so all surface water was frozen over.  We used a chain saw to get water from the pond for flushing toilets, but that wasn't drinkable water.

Best practice is to locate your cistern (and you well head, if possible) at the highest point on your property.   If freezing is a concern, it can be partially buried. Ours is about six feet underground at the base.  If you have a pressure bladder your system can hold pressure without the pump running for a period - depends on usage, volume in the pipes and bladder size.  When the big earthquake hits we will be using buckets to dip water out of the cistern until power is restored, which could be months.

That works for more mild climates and for properties where there is a decent slope or high spot. It’s not feasible in areas like where I and RetiretAt63 live, where frost depths extend >45” and the biggest concern is power failure when temperatures are far below freezing (-10°c/14°F is routine, and much colder happens for extended stretches each winter).

If you have a hot water tank that water can be used in an emergency and is potable.

[RetiredAt63]

But a cistern would have to be higher than the taps and toilets so they had gravity flow.  And given our winter temperatures, a cistern that high is going to have to be kept above freezing, which is hard during a power failure.

Our water line broke several years ago and we were without water for several days until we could get it sorted. Had a big plastic barrel from the local soda company. Took it to a friend's house and filled it full of water so we could at least flush with a bucket.

During The Ice Storm we flushed with water from the pond.  Owning a chainsaw was the key - hacking through the ice with an axe would not have been fun.  Our neighbours had a generator and we filled a big water bottle there for our drinking water - that needed the car.

We had no power for 3 weeks, most of our area was out longer.  Daytime temps were in the -20s C, nights were getting down to the -30s C.  Lots of ice available to keep food cold.

Ontario and Quebec power companies say they have beefed up infrastructure.  But how good is any infrastructure when the ice on wires and towers is over 3 cm thick?

[GuitarStv]

I wonder if climate change will cause increasing ice storms or just warm so much that it's not a problem for us any more.

[RetiredAt63]

I wonder if climate change will cause increasing ice storms or just warm so much that it's not a problem for us any more.

I wonder that too.  Or maybe winters will just be super variable year to year.  Or month to month.

I want cold winters.  Warmer winters allow so many invasive species to flourish. 

[Sugaree]

If I end up getting the currently proposed raise in January, I am seriously considering hiring someone to come deep clean my kitchen and bathrooms twice a month.  Ideally, I'd like to find someone who will let me schedule 2 hours, give them a list of priorities, and whatever they get done in those two hours is what I don't have to do myself.

[Dicey]

Well, not this, but Chase thinks I need a Maserati...

It must work. I see a Maserati nearly every day around here.

Dang.  I'm a (former? recovering? still slightly addicted?) car guy and I just have zero desire for a Maserati.

They go 185.  But it's hard when you lose your license and can't drive.

Just catching up on this thread. @GuitarStv, I see what you did there. Nice.

@Luke Warm, are we neighbors? There may or may not be a Maserati dealer near me. Wherever I'm in the vicinity, I'm especially alert for the asshats just driving their first one off the lot. It's really a thing.

[Just Joe]

If I end up getting the currently proposed raise in January, I am seriously considering hiring someone to come deep clean my kitchen and bathrooms twice a month.  Ideally, I'd like to find someone who will let me schedule 2 hours, give them a list of priorities, and whatever they get done in those two hours is what I don't have to do myself.

I am seriously considering this too. Even if only quarterly. 

[By the River]

The Barrett Jackson auto auction was in town a couple of weeks ago and Biloxi hosted a cruising the coast event for classic cars.  I saw many classic cars being trailered on the interstate.   This got me thinking again about a 1955-57 Tbird.  A neighbor down the street had one when I was growing up and I loved looking at it.  Would love to have a classic but then I would also need a storage spot, more insurance, a car trailer, etc. 

[Luke Warm]

The Barrett Jackson auto auction was in town a couple of weeks ago and Biloxi hosted a cruising the coast event for classic cars.  I saw many classic cars being trailered on the interstate.   This got me thinking again about a 1955-57 Tbird.  A neighbor down the street had one when I was growing up and I loved looking at it.  Would love to have a classic but then I would also need a storage spot, more insurance, a car trailer, etc.

I was wondering what was going on. We were on a road trip to Baton Rouge and there was an endless stream of classic cars on I-10. We pulled into a rest area next to a 1960 Plymouth Belvedere. Those fins!

[Cawl]

I would like some 3D printed miniatures. I just haven't taken the time to do it.

[By the River]

The Barrett Jackson auto auction was in town a couple of weeks ago and Biloxi hosted a cruising the coast event for classic cars.  I saw many classic cars being trailered on the interstate.   This got me thinking again about a 1955-57 Tbird.  A neighbor down the street had one when I was growing up and I loved looking at it.  Would love to have a classic but then I would also need a storage spot, more insurance, a car trailer, etc.

I was wondering what was going on. We were on a road trip to Baton Rouge and there was an endless stream of classic cars on I-10. We pulled into a rest area next to a 1960 Plymouth Belvedere. Those fins!

Heard a spokesman for the cruising event say they had 10,000 registered cars and probably another 5,000-10,000 not registered. 

[JLee]

Not sure if I would call it stupid but I am considering a Generac generator for the whole house. I think it might raise the value of the house a little by having it if we should sell in the future. We had a power outtage last night and it was hell. Now with all these crazy weather patterns we are having over USA who knows what the future holds. I think it would cost at least $10,000 to have one installed. Maybe more. The house is about 2,000 sf. Anyone have any good, bad or ugly stories on doing this?

We know people who have been out of electricity for two plus weeks and I don't know how you live like that! We have a well which needs electricity to run the pump so no electricity, no water, no showers. We have electric oven and no gas stove so no cooking in that or the microwave.

We also have two freezers full of meat, veggies and other things and would hate to lose all that stuff. I think they say if you don't open the freezer door, the stuff stays frozen for 48 hours without worry. After that, the temps in the freezer start to elevate.

We garden too so some of the harvest ends up in the freezer.

The other thing that is of concern is that we have hot water baseboard heat. If we lost electricity in the middle of winter during a very cold snap, our pipes could freeze up and burst. Water would ruin everything.

We have the money to do it but hate to spend it! But can't take it with us to the grave either! We have no children to will our money! I think the pro's outweigh the cons.

I have one that came with my house.  The only caveat I have is that oil changes on the smaller generators (I have a 10kw or 11kw, I forget) are measured in hours of runtime, so make sure that you have supplies for an oil change in the event of week+ outages.

[Sugaree]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

[Dancin'Dog]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

As they say, "If it feels good, do it."  Consider it "therapy". 

[Metalcat]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

As they say, "If it feels good, do it."  Consider it "therapy".

lol, this place has gotten so soft that we praise spending even when someone asks for facepunches.

[Sugaree]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

As they say, "If it feels good, do it."  Consider it "therapy".

lol, this place has gotten so soft that we praise spending even when someone asks for facepunches.

See?  Not helping. 

Actually, I'm maxing out my TSP, IRA, HSA, and contribute more than I just spend on these tickets to my kid's 529 each month so I don't feel *too* bad about it.   But I will admit that it's on the stupid side of spending...

[ChpBstrd]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

As they say, "If it feels good, do it."  Consider it "therapy".

lol, this place has gotten so soft that we praise spending even when someone asks for facepunches.

Lusting for a more-hardcore forum of people who reject all consumerism and live as financially independent hunter-gatherers in the forest. Beats the hell out of raking leaves off of a suburban lawn so the grass spray painting truck can keep it green all winter.

[GuitarStv]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

As they say, "If it feels good, do it."  Consider it "therapy".

lol, this place has gotten so soft that we praise spending even when someone asks for facepunches.

Lusting for a more-hardcore forum of people who reject all consumerism and live as financially independent hunter-gatherers in the forest. Beats the hell out of raking leaves off of a suburban lawn so the grass spray painting truck can keep it green all winter.

Next you'll be telling me that you all sleep in beds like sheeple.

[Turtle]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

As they say, "If it feels good, do it."  Consider it "therapy".

lol, this place has gotten so soft that we praise spending even when someone asks for facepunches.

First question is where this fits in the budget.  If there's a line item for important experiences and the budget isn't exceeded, maybe not face punch worthy.

Whether or not the person feels they will get $300 worth of utility from the experience is also an important question.  I wouldn't pay that much for a ticket but I would for different experiences which I feel would be worth it to me.

Third question is if the purchase is regretted - which is possible given the question being asked in this forum.  So can the ticket be resold if there are second thoughts?

4 favorite bands seems like a bit much.  Is this latest one your favorite but you didn't know earlier in the year that they would be touring again?

If it's best friend's favorite band and they don't want to go alone, time spent with them might tip the scale over.  If it was an invite from a casual acquaintance and an impulse buy, maybe check out resale options.

[Sugaree]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year.  Facepunches are definitely needed at this point...

As they say, "If it feels good, do it."  Consider it "therapy".

lol, this place has gotten so soft that we praise spending even when someone asks for facepunches.

First question is where this fits in the budget.  If there's a line item for important experiences and the budget isn't exceeded, maybe not face punch worthy.

Yeah, we're good there.

Whether or not the person feels they will get $300 worth of utility from the experience is also an important question.  I wouldn't pay that much for a ticket but I would for different experiences which I feel would be worth it to me.

It's actually two tickets, and the boyfriend will either pick up half or cover the hotel room.

Third question is if the purchase is regretted - which is possible given the question being asked in this forum.  So can the ticket be resold if there are second thoughts?

I don't regret buying them.  And they are already selling for more than I paid for them on the resale sites, so I think it'll be okay.  I am starting to think I might be overdoing it.  I've seen more shows since May than I've seen in the previous 10 years.

4 favorite bands seems like a bit much.  Is this latest one your favorite but you didn't know earlier in the year that they would be touring again?

This one (Tool) is a bucket list show for sure.  The last one was a favorite(Corey Taylor) and the one before that was another bucket list show (Pantera/Lamb of God).

If it's best friend's favorite band and they don't want to go alone, time spent with them might tip the scale over.  If it was an invite from a casual acquaintance and an impulse buy, maybe check out resale options.

I'd say that the boyfriend probably likes them more than I do, but isn't necessarily a fanatic. 

[Kris]

Ugh!  Brother & Sister-in-law are moving out and buying ALL NEW furniture (they got rid of everything before moving cross-country). 

So I'm jealous and everything they're looking at (or if I'm looking for them at furniture or rugs or decor), I want new too. 

You never realize how dated your stuff looks until you look at new stuff.

Very true. This is why I try never to go to stores. (Not a joke.)

[Dollar Slice]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year. 

This made me smile a little :-)  I've spent right around $1000 on live music this year and I've seen around 75 shows, including seeing my top 4-5 musicians multiple times each.

It's a terrible fate to only like really expensive bands!

[Sugaree]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year. 

This made me smile a little :-)  I've spent right around $1000 on live music this year and I've seen around 75 shows, including seeing my top 4-5 musicians multiple times each.

It's a terrible fate to only like really expensive bands!

My biggest issue with live music is that I live in BFE.  And while the low cost of living has its perks, entertainment isn't one of them (aside from the kid who grew up down the street from me who is apparently now a somewhat successful country singer and that's just not my thing).  I'm an hour and a half to two hours from three cities that do consistently get good bands, but I'm old and that now requires a hotel room. 

[Askel]

Given most of the bands I like to go see play, $300 and some couch space for a couple nights can buy your own personal performance.

Current stupidest thing: Used gear shop has a P&H Delphin kayak for $1500. Yes, I know most of our water will be turning solid in a month or two.... 

[Metalcat]

Given most of the bands I like to go see play, $300 and some couch space for a couple nights can buy your own personal performance.

Current stupidest thing: Used gear shop has a P&H Delphin kayak for $1500. Yes, I know most of our water will be turning solid in a month or two....

Lol, same.

I grew up in a hardcore music town and my father and brother are musicians. So I fell in love with smaller, brilliant acts. It's really economically beneficial to have your favourite musicians be bar performers. Lol.

I've been to a few huge concerts but they're just so loud I can't really appreciate the sound. It's more for the show/spectacle, which isn't really my thing. I get why others love it, but for big acts, I would rather hear their expertly recorded music on (someone else's) 100K sound system.

I've seen a few big performers live: Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Queen with Adam Lambert, Yes, Alanis Morissette, REM, and Crash Test Dummies, none of which I paid to see except for Queen. Some were extremely dull (lookin' at you Clapton), some were fun (Crash Test Dummies covering Britney Spears), but all were too loud with icky sound quality and just not my thing.

It definitely pays off to have bar-band taste in concerts.

[Turtle]

I may or may not have just dropped $300 on what will be my fourth concert in a year. 

This made me smile a little :-)  I've spent right around $1000 on live music this year and I've seen around 75 shows, including seeing my top 4-5 musicians multiple times each.

It's a terrible fate to only like really expensive bands!

My biggest issue with live music is that I live in BFE.  And while the low cost of living has its perks, entertainment isn't one of them (aside from the kid who grew up down the street from me who is apparently now a somewhat successful country singer and that's just not my thing).  I'm an hour and a half to two hours from three cities that do consistently get good bands, but I'm old and that now requires a hotel room.

Sounds to me as if you are both receiving what you consider to be your money's worth from concert expenditures.  As long as it doesn't derail your bigger goals and fits with your priorities, great! 

[Roadrunner53]

I know this couple that are just average joe's and they buy concert tickets quite often and spend a small fortune! The wife works retail and doesn't even have enough credits to collect on her own SS when the time comes and her hub is self employed. I have no idea how much money he makes. I don't think he is rolling in the dough and it makes me wonder if they even have retirement money. They just recently went to a Taylor Swift concert and a Queen concert and have tickets for something else! I am kind of flabberghasted on the money they spend when they could be putting money away for retirement! I know we all have to live and enjoy life but personally, I think they are going overboard with these expensive concerts one right after another! Not my problem but just sharing my awe of people who in my opinion spend money foolishly! I guess I just don't get it!

[Just Joe]

4 favorite bands seems like a bit much.  Is this latest one your favorite but you didn't know earlier in the year that they would be touring again?

If it's best friend's favorite band and they don't want to go alone, time spent with them might tip the scale over.  If it was an invite from a casual acquaintance and an impulse buy, maybe check out resale options.

Do what our friends do - travel around the country listening to the same damn band! Is any band that good?

I'm getting old and grumpy. Would rather avoid the live concert and listen to the music recorded and skip the crowds and the cost. DW and I have one venue we like and we visit that once or twice a year.

[Just Joe]

Given most of the bands I like to go see play, $300 and some couch space for a couple nights can buy your own personal performance.

Current stupidest thing: Used gear shop has a P&H Delphin kayak for $1500. Yes, I know most of our water will be turning solid in a month or two....

Lol, same.

I grew up in a hardcore music town and my father and brother are musicians. So I fell in love with smaller, brilliant acts. It's really economically beneficial to have your favourite musicians be bar performers. Lol.

I've been to a few huge concerts but they're just so loud I can't really appreciate the sound. It's more for the show/spectacle, which isn't really my thing. I get why others love it, but for big acts, I would rather hear their expertly recorded music on (someone else's) 100K sound system.

I've seen a few big performers live: Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Queen with Adam Lambert, Yes, Alanis Morissette, REM, and Crash Test Dummies, none of which I paid to see except for Queen. Some were extremely dull (lookin' at you Clapton), some were fun (Crash Test Dummies covering Britney Spears), but all were too loud with icky sound quality and just not my thing.

It definitely pays off to have bar-band taste in concerts.

Everything you said. Smaller acts, smaller venues, large venues are so loud I carry ear plugs when I go. Seriously.

[Metalcat]

Everything you said. Smaller acts, smaller venues, large venues are so loud I carry ear plugs when I go. Seriously.

Folks are entitled to like what they like. But yeah, there's a major benefit to having bar-band taste in music. The lack of ear damage alone is worth it to me.

Tinnitus sucks and just a few minutes of exposure to major concert level sound causes permanent damage. Wearing ear plugs just destroys the sound quality too.

But as I said before, big concerts aren't about the sound, they're about the spectacle, and spectacle tends to be expensive.

[Dollar Slice]

Tinnitus sucks and just a few minutes of exposure to major concert level sound causes permanent damage. Wearing ear plugs just destroys the sound quality too.

Small venues can be very loud, too. I always carry earplugs with me, you never know how deaf the person running sound is going to be (or wants you to be). You can get ones made for music that sound a lot better than foam plugs, they're $20-$30 and they last forever. In college I once spent five minutes in a club that left my ears ringing for two days... it's not worth taking chances, I always carry them now.

[GuitarStv]

Everything you said. Smaller acts, smaller venues, large venues are so loud I carry ear plugs when I go. Seriously.

Folks are entitled to like what they like. But yeah, there's a major benefit to having bar-band taste in music. The lack of ear damage alone is worth it to me.

Tinnitus sucks and just a few minutes of exposure to major concert level sound causes permanent damage. Wearing ear plugs just destroys the sound quality too.

But as I said before, big concerts aren't about the sound, they're about the spectacle, and spectacle tends to be expensive.

Most earplugs block sound in the higher frequencies more than the lower, so it really messes up the way music should sound.  There are some plugs you can buy though that are much more even in the way they block noise - more akin to just turning the volume down.  They look kinda like a little christmas tree with several levels of cups on a stalk.  These are what I use in concerts to try to protect my ears.

Interestingly, the last few big concerts I've been to, the opening acts were louder than the main one.

[Dancin'Dog]

Everything you said. Smaller acts, smaller venues, large venues are so loud I carry ear plugs when I go. Seriously.

Folks are entitled to like what they like. But yeah, there's a major benefit to having bar-band taste in music. The lack of ear damage alone is worth it to me.

Tinnitus sucks and just a few minutes of exposure to major concert level sound causes permanent damage. Wearing ear plugs just destroys the sound quality too.

But as I said before, big concerts aren't about the sound, they're about the spectacle, and spectacle tends to be expensive.

Most earplugs block sound in the higher frequencies more than the lower, so it really messes up the way music should sound.  There are some plugs you can buy though that are much more even in the way they block noise - more akin to just turning the volume down.  They look kinda like a little christmas tree with several levels of cups on a stalk.  These are what I use in concerts to try to protect my ears.

Interestingly, the last few big concerts I've been to, the opening acts were louder than the main one.

It's really too bad that there aren't legal decibel limits for public events.  There's nothing cool about going deaf. 

[Taran Wanderer]

I recently complained to the state OSHA agency about noise levels at a professional sporting event. The have no statutory authority to protect fans, and the time-weight average is for an 8-hour shift, so the 3-hour game wasn’t long enough to seriously look at protecting the hearing of the part-time workers.  And this is in a very blue state.  It blew my mind.

[GuitarStv]

Extremely loud noise really bothers me.  I keep earplugs in my backpack for concerts, movies, sporting events, etc. and occasionally just walking around downtown.  I even wear them when playing guitar at high volumes - it's harder for me to concentrate on pitch when my ears are ringing otherwise.

It's really too bad that we've become so used to the aural assault.  Leaf blowers, car alarms, traffic noise, construction, lawn mowers (although the electric one that we got a few years back is sooo much better on this front), air conditioners, aircraft, etc.  It definitely puts me on edge if I can't escape it, and I bet it makes other people cranky too.

[Luke Warm]

Extremely loud noise really bothers me.  I keep earplugs in my backpack for concerts, movies, sporting events, etc. and occasionally just walking around downtown.  I even wear them when playing guitar at high volumes - it's harder for me to concentrate on pitch when my ears are ringing otherwise.

It's really too bad that we've become so used to the aural assault.  Leaf blowers, car alarms, traffic noise, construction, lawn mowers (although the electric one that we got a few years back is sooo much better on this front), air conditioners, aircraft, etc.  It definitely puts me on edge if I can't escape it, and I bet it makes other people cranky too.

Living in my neighborhood is noisy. It sounds like a NASCAR race sometimes.
My ears ring constantly from going to shows that were way too loud.
However I've been out in the woods and it's been dead quiet and it's creepy.

[Metalcat]

Extremely loud noise really bothers me.  I keep earplugs in my backpack for concerts, movies, sporting events, etc. and occasionally just walking around downtown.  I even wear them when playing guitar at high volumes - it's harder for me to concentrate on pitch when my ears are ringing otherwise.

It's really too bad that we've become so used to the aural assault.  Leaf blowers, car alarms, traffic noise, construction, lawn mowers (although the electric one that we got a few years back is sooo much better on this front), air conditioners, aircraft, etc.  It definitely puts me on edge if I can't escape it, and I bet it makes other people cranky too.

Living in my neighborhood is noisy. It sounds like a NASCAR race sometimes.
My ears ring constantly from going to shows that were way too loud.
However I've been out in the woods and it's been dead quiet and it's creepy.

In the city I live at the intersection of two major streets, but I'm very high up in the air in essentially a concrete bunker so I don't hear anything other than the hum of my air purifier and a low, muffled whoosh of traffic noise.

At my rural house I hear neighbours talk and occasional lawn maintenance, but mostly I just hear the ocean.

Both locations are phenomenally quiet.

[GuitarStv]

Extremely loud noise really bothers me.  I keep earplugs in my backpack for concerts, movies, sporting events, etc. and occasionally just walking around downtown.  I even wear them when playing guitar at high volumes - it's harder for me to concentrate on pitch when my ears are ringing otherwise.

It's really too bad that we've become so used to the aural assault.  Leaf blowers, car alarms, traffic noise, construction, lawn mowers (although the electric one that we got a few years back is sooo much better on this front), air conditioners, aircraft, etc.  It definitely puts me on edge if I can't escape it, and I bet it makes other people cranky too.

Living in my neighborhood is noisy. It sounds like a NASCAR race sometimes.
My ears ring constantly from going to shows that were way too loud.
However I've been out in the woods and it's been dead quiet and it's creepy.

I grew up in a very isolated community in the middle of northern Canadian bush.  The quiet of the woods is familiar and inviting.  I used to hear wolves howling at night though, that was a little creepy.

[Metalcat]

Extremely loud noise really bothers me.  I keep earplugs in my backpack for concerts, movies, sporting events, etc. and occasionally just walking around downtown.  I even wear them when playing guitar at high volumes - it's harder for me to concentrate on pitch when my ears are ringing otherwise.

It's really too bad that we've become so used to the aural assault.  Leaf blowers, car alarms, traffic noise, construction, lawn mowers (although the electric one that we got a few years back is sooo much better on this front), air conditioners, aircraft, etc.  It definitely puts me on edge if I can't escape it, and I bet it makes other people cranky too.

Living in my neighborhood is noisy. It sounds like a NASCAR race sometimes.
My ears ring constantly from going to shows that were way too loud.
However I've been out in the woods and it's been dead quiet and it's creepy.

I grew up in a very isolated community in the middle of northern Canadian bush.  The quiet of the woods is familiar and inviting.  I used to hear wolves howling at night though, that was a little creepy.

Oh, I always like the sound of wolves howling. Coyotes screaming when they're hunting is a bit intense, but I like the wolf howls. We don't have animal sounds where I am in NL though. Almost no animals, aside from chatty crows and seagulls.

[Exflyboy]

There were some VERY nice mountain bikes I got to drool over at the Moab meetup... hmmm

[GuitarStv]

Extremely loud noise really bothers me.  I keep earplugs in my backpack for concerts, movies, sporting events, etc. and occasionally just walking around downtown.  I even wear them when playing guitar at high volumes - it's harder for me to concentrate on pitch when my ears are ringing otherwise.

It's really too bad that we've become so used to the aural assault.  Leaf blowers, car alarms, traffic noise, construction, lawn mowers (although the electric one that we got a few years back is sooo much better on this front), air conditioners, aircraft, etc.  It definitely puts me on edge if I can't escape it, and I bet it makes other people cranky too.

Living in my neighborhood is noisy. It sounds like a NASCAR race sometimes.
My ears ring constantly from going to shows that were way too loud.
However I've been out in the woods and it's been dead quiet and it's creepy.

I grew up in a very isolated community in the middle of northern Canadian bush.  The quiet of the woods is familiar and inviting.  I used to hear wolves howling at night though, that was a little creepy.

Oh, I always like the sound of wolves howling. Coyotes screaming when they're hunting is a bit intense, but I like the wolf howls. We don't have animal sounds where I am in NL though. Almost no animals, aside from chatty crows and seagulls.

Nice when you're at home in bed.  Creepy when you're walking home in the woods in the dark (and it gets dark early - like 5:00 in the winter).

[Luke Warm]

Extremely loud noise really bothers me.  I keep earplugs in my backpack for concerts, movies, sporting events, etc. and occasionally just walking around downtown.  I even wear them when playing guitar at high volumes - it's harder for me to concentrate on pitch when my ears are ringing otherwise.

It's really too bad that we've become so used to the aural assault.  Leaf blowers, car alarms, traffic noise, construction, lawn mowers (although the electric one that we got a few years back is sooo much better on this front), air conditioners, aircraft, etc.  It definitely puts me on edge if I can't escape it, and I bet it makes other people cranky too.

Living in my neighborhood is noisy. It sounds like a NASCAR race sometimes.
My ears ring constantly from going to shows that were way too loud.
However I've been out in the woods and it's been dead quiet and it's creepy.

I grew up in a very isolated community in the middle of northern Canadian bush.  The quiet of the woods is familiar and inviting.  I used to hear wolves howling at night though, that was a little creepy.

Oh, I always like the sound of wolves howling. Coyotes screaming when they're hunting is a bit intense, but I like the wolf howls. We don't have animal sounds where I am in NL though. Almost no animals, aside from chatty crows and seagulls.

Nice when you're at home in bed.  Creepy when you're walking home in the woods in the dark (and it gets dark early - like 5:00 in the winter).

I was doing a solo night ride on my mtb and heard a bunch of coyotes or foxes yipping and howling. Freaked me out.

[Metalcat]

Nice when you're at home in bed.  Creepy when you're walking home in the woods in the dark (and it gets dark early - like 5:00 in the winter).

Lecturing me about when the sun sets? Weird flex, but okay...

Lol, I grew up living in the woods in Canada too dude. Wolves never freaked me out, in many years of living around them, they've generally always just avoided people. Coyotes screaming though always gets me because they would come right onto my deck as a pack and growl through my sliding glass door at my tiny dog.

I also lived near a reservation and a number of the residents kept pet wolves, so they would occasionally get loose and run around. One of the residents had a pet lion (I believe female) who got loose, and that was a weird few days of hyper vigilance to not encounter a hungry, lost lion.

[GuitarStv]

Nice when you're at home in bed.  Creepy when you're walking home in the woods in the dark (and it gets dark early - like 5:00 in the winter).

Lecturing me about when the sun sets? Weird flex, but okay...

Lol, I grew up living in the woods in Canada too dude. Wolves never freaked me out, in many years of living around them, they've generally always just avoided people. Coyotes screaming though always gets me because they would come right onto my deck as a pack and growl through my sliding glass door at my tiny dog.

I also lived near a reservation and a number of the residents kept pet wolves, so they would occasionally get loose and run around. One of the residents had a pet lion (I believe female) who got loose, and that was a weird few days of hyper vigilance to not encounter a hungry, lost lion.

Not lecturing, more reminiscing.  The dark was one thing that I never really got used to living up north.
 It's downright depressing mid-winter.

We never had to deal with coyotes.  Dunno if it was too cold, or the wolves ate them.  How the hell did they get a pet lion on res though?  That's a lot of crazy right there.  I can't image the police putting up with that for very long, they're prohibited animals aren't they?

[Metalcat]

Nice when you're at home in bed.  Creepy when you're walking home in the woods in the dark (and it gets dark early - like 5:00 in the winter).

Lecturing me about when the sun sets? Weird flex, but okay...

Lol, I grew up living in the woods in Canada too dude. Wolves never freaked me out, in many years of living around them, they've generally always just avoided people. Coyotes screaming though always gets me because they would come right onto my deck as a pack and growl through my sliding glass door at my tiny dog.

I also lived near a reservation and a number of the residents kept pet wolves, so they would occasionally get loose and run around. One of the residents had a pet lion (I believe female) who got loose, and that was a weird few days of hyper vigilance to not encounter a hungry, lost lion.

Not lecturing, more reminiscing.  The dark was one thing that I never really got used to living up north.
 It's downright depressing mid-winter.

We never had to deal with coyotes.  Dunno if it was too cold, or the wolves ate them.  How the hell did they get a pet lion on res though?  That's a lot of crazy right there.  I can't image the police putting up with that for very long, they're prohibited animals aren't they?

There are laws and then there's enforcement and enforcement can get pretty patchy in certain regions, especially around rural reservations.

[GuitarStv]

Nice when you're at home in bed.  Creepy when you're walking home in the woods in the dark (and it gets dark early - like 5:00 in the winter).

Lecturing me about when the sun sets? Weird flex, but okay...

Lol, I grew up living in the woods in Canada too dude. Wolves never freaked me out, in many years of living around them, they've generally always just avoided people. Coyotes screaming though always gets me because they would come right onto my deck as a pack and growl through my sliding glass door at my tiny dog.

I also lived near a reservation and a number of the residents kept pet wolves, so they would occasionally get loose and run around. One of the residents had a pet lion (I believe female) who got loose, and that was a weird few days of hyper vigilance to not encounter a hungry, lost lion.

Not lecturing, more reminiscing.  The dark was one thing that I never really got used to living up north.
 It's downright depressing mid-winter.

We never had to deal with coyotes.  Dunno if it was too cold, or the wolves ate them.  How the hell did they get a pet lion on res though?  That's a lot of crazy right there.  I can't image the police putting up with that for very long, they're prohibited animals aren't they?

There are laws and then there's enforcement and enforcement can get pretty patchy in certain regions, especially around rural reservations.

Were you on just a reserve then?  How did you end up there?  The res near our town was policed by the OPP detachment from the city.  My parents have some kind of scary stories about things that went on when they were teaching at a fly-in native reserve in Northern Alberta though.  Kinda the wild west up there.

[Metalcat]

Were you on just a reserve then?  How did you end up there?  The res near our town was policed by the OPP detachment from the city.  My parents have some kind of scary stories about things that went on when they were teaching at a fly-in native reserve in Northern Alberta though.  Kinda the wild west up there.

It's also wild west in a lot of Newfoundland, I got pretty used to laws being suggestions out where I am over the summer. I grew up in Quebec, so policing there is also a little different than Ontario. Also, I did specify that I lived *near* a rez, not on one.

I really want to get a dirt bike in NL if my leg can ever handle it and that requires a full motorcycle license but literally no one in the area has a motorcycle license and literally almost every child over the age of 11 has their own dirt bike.

But I'm not quite willing to ride around on a bike uninsured like everyone else.

So that counts as a stupid thing I'm lusting after, a dirt bike that I can't even currently ride and that I'm almost tempted to not have licensed or insured, lol.

Almost, but not enough to ever do that.

[Villanelle]

Nice when you're at home in bed.  Creepy when you're walking home in the woods in the dark (and it gets dark early - like 5:00 in the winter).

Lecturing me about when the sun sets? Weird flex, but okay...

Lol, I grew up living in the woods in Canada too dude. Wolves never freaked me out, in many years of living around them, they've generally always just avoided people. Coyotes screaming though always gets me because they would come right onto my deck as a pack and growl through my sliding glass door at my tiny dog.

I also lived near a reservation and a number of the residents kept pet wolves, so they would occasionally get loose and run around. One of the residents had a pet lion (I believe female) who got loose, and that was a weird few days of hyper vigilance to not encounter a hungry, lost lion.

This reminded me of living on base in Japan, when a couple monkeys (which were found in the wild, but usually not near our base with was pretty urban) found their way inside the base fences.  They were smaller than chimps, but much larger than Marcel on Friends, for perspective.  The base put out a warning that people should supervise small children when playing outside, and Facebook was full of grainy, shaky videos of monkey sightings.  They were never caught, but eventually must have left the same way they came in.  It was such an odd thing to live through a Moneky-watch. 

[curious_george]

Were you on just a reserve then?  How did you end up there?  The res near our town was policed by the OPP detachment from the city.  My parents have some kind of scary stories about things that went on when they were teaching at a fly-in native reserve in Northern Alberta though.  Kinda the wild west up there.

It's also wild west in a lot of Newfoundland, I got pretty used to laws being suggestions out where I am over the summer. I grew up in Quebec, so policing there is also a little different than Ontario. Also, I did specify that I lived *near* a rez, not on one.

I really want to get a dirt bike in NL if my leg can ever handle it and that requires a full motorcycle license but literally no one in the area has a motorcycle license and literally almost every child over the age of 11 has their own dirt bike.

But I'm not quite willing to ride around on a bike uninsured like everyone else.

So that counts as a stupid thing I'm lusting after, a dirt bike that I can't even currently ride and that I'm almost tempted to not have licensed or insured, lol.

Almost, but not enough to ever do that.

There are some ebikes that look similar to dirt bikes, with fat tires and whatnot, at a lower price point. E.g. lectric bikes - this is what I have.

Not sure about the laws in Canada, but where I live people ride them on the bike paths all the time, and they don't require insurance or registration.

Of course - they only go 20 mph via throttle, so you likely won't be jumping hills like you would a dirt bike.

I suppose it depends on what you want to do with the dirt bike..