OT: Spring has sprung...

[Chainshot]

Visiting this thread for the first time in a while. Hope you all are well.
Lived in Texas for 3 years in the early 90s. Would never go back, especially now with their infrastructure issues and COVID activities. And, like Florida, they find a way to nickel and dime you... I have never paid so much for things like homeowners insurance and personal property taxes as I did when there (thanks to asshole drivers, tornados, hail storms and people with wooden shingled roofs...).
I know Chainshot hates NC, and we have plenty of good old boys and religious idiots here in VA, but VA, NC and SC would be my choices. Florida is a no from the get go, even though my brother lives down there and loves his area.
I was just back in Buffalo for a few days a couple weekends ago. Went to my old neighborhood, and couldn't get out of there fast enough. What a depressing area. I couldn't wait to get back home to VA. I know all of WNY is not like that, and flying in over the area reminded me how pretty the state is in the summer, but there's still no way I would ever move back there.
COVID (Delta) is getting bad around here quickly. School is just starting up, and all I can say is I am so glad my kids are adults and we don't have to worry about schools and education anymore. What a shitshow.

I too would not go back to WNY if given my druthers. Visiting old friends and family? Sure. Returning? Nope.

As for NC... time has softened my stance on it, particularly if I could get up near the AT and the mountains.

Sadly, many of my friends and my sister have stayed in WNY. I have extended family there too, though a chunk of them have settled out in Arizona.

 

[sabremike]

I too would not go back to WNY if given my druthers. Visiting old friends and family? Sure. Returning? Nope.

As for NC... time has softened my stance on it, particularly if I could get up near the AT and the mountains.

Sadly, many of my friends and my sister have stayed in WNY. I have extended family there too, though a chunk of them have settled out in Arizona.

One of my best friends has a great line about places like Buffalo: It's a great place to say you were originally from.

 

[Chainshot]

One of my best friends has a great line about places like Buffalo: It's a great place to say you were originally from.

I'm too old to take on trying to change it into what I would like it to become.

The places that have managed to move forward, even while trampled by the layers of needless bureaucracy, the institutionalized lethargy, the graft... I applaud them.

 

[cybresabre]

They rolled fiber out to the farm this week. Now we are paying less for internet access that is 200x faster, unmetered, and doesn't cut out every twenty minutes. What the hell am I going to complain about now?

 

[buffalowing88]

I too would not go back to WNY if given my druthers. Visiting old friends and family? Sure. Returning? Nope.

As for NC... time has softened my stance on it, particularly if I could get up near the AT and the mountains.

Sadly, many of my friends and my sister have stayed in WNY. I have extended family there too, though a chunk of them have settled out in Arizona.

Are you in NC? The mountains are gorgeous and I admittedly don't know much about the AT but Asheville is something else.

I fly up to Buffalo from Charlotte pretty regularly these days to see family. It's direct now with American. My parents are both separately preparing to move back to Orchard Park to retire and I think it's wild with the winters but when you go up there this time of year there's something alluring about it. I'm 33 but separated with no kids and I wonder sometimes if this isn't the chance to give it a go up there.

 

[buffalowing88]

I also don't miss black ice and snow on Halloween, though. Tough call.

 

[Chainshot]

Are you in NC? The mountains are gorgeous and I admittedly don't know much about the AT but Asheville is something else.

I fly up to Buffalo from Charlotte pretty regularly these days to see family. It's direct now with American. My parents are both separately preparing to move back to Orchard Park to retire and I think it's wild with the winters but when you go up there this time of year there's something alluring about it. I'm 33 but separated with no kids and I wonder sometimes if this isn't the chance to give it a go up there.

I lived in the Triad region about 20 years ago and worked in the RTP for a time. I have enjoyed Asheville and the surround areas as a visitor, not sure if it would be great as a place to live but it's on the list of places to investigate further.

 

[TehDoak]

They rolled fiber out to the farm this week. Now we are paying less for internet access that is 200x faster, unmetered, and doesn't cut out every twenty minutes. What the hell am I going to complain about now?

Now you can complain on the internet more often and much faster!

 

[Buffaloed]

400-sq.-ft. Mystic Mountain Tiny House in Alaska

Just wondering if it has good WiFi....

There is no escape.
Top 4 Internet Providers in Seward, AK (Aug 2021)
FCC approves SpaceX Starlink agreement to expand for Alaska

 

[Chainshot]

I also don't miss black ice and snow on Halloween, though. Tough call.

Meaning NC? The road icing is definitely not the same as what would happen in WNY.

 

[brian_griffin]

(High-)Hats off to Charlie Watts. He (and Ringo) was (are) proof you don't need an extravagant kit or a bombastic style to be an impactful drummer. Eschewed the limelight, the boisterous life, and the skirt-chasing, stayed dedicated to his wife (almost lost her to his drinking in the '80s, but chose the better option). He was the understated "gentleman" of the Rolling Stones.

I need to listen to "Slave" and the back and forth between Charlie, Keith, Nicky Hopkins, and Sonny Rollins (I know Rollins' part was recorded after the rest).

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Miss you, Kyle.

 

[Chainshot]

Miss you, Kyle.

He shows up in my social media feeds from time to time.

 

[oldgoalie]

Miss you, Kyle.

I still was seeing his page on FB. I wonder how his puppy is doing these days,,, “Olive”, IIRC??
I once asked Sig if “Signal to Noise” from PG was where he got his moniker… It wasn’t related, as it turns out.
It’s a fantastic song, and amazing seen live too.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I still was seeing his page on FB. I wonder how his puppy is doing these days,,, “Olive”, IIRC??
I once asked Sig if “Signal to Noise” from PG was where he got his moniker… It wasn’t related, as it turns out.
It’s a fantastic song, and amazing seen live too.

Yeah I had a similar conversation with him. Just incidental that PG wrote an absolute monster of a track with the same name.

I hope Olive is doing well

 

[TehDoak]

I still was seeing his page on FB. I wonder how his puppy is doing these days,,, “Olive”, IIRC??
I once asked Sig if “Signal to Noise” from PG was where he got his moniker… It wasn’t related, as it turns out.
It’s a fantastic song, and amazing seen live too.

Yeah I had a similar conversation with him. Just incidental that PG wrote an absolute monster of a track with the same name.

I hope Olive is doing well

olive had to be put down shortly after he passed. His ex gf took her in and she got increasingly aggressive after he passed. She was his dog and I guess she was traumatized by his passing.

I miss the way sig would pop up randomly on my social media or a hockey thread and just have the perfect snarky comment.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

olive had to be put down shortly after he passed. His ex gf took her in and she got increasingly aggressive after he passed. She was his dog and I guess she was traumatized by his passing.

I miss the way sig would pop up randomly on my social media or a hockey thread and just have the perfect snarky comment.

That's very sad to hear. I know she was alone with him for a time when he passed.

Totally agree. He was the king of snark.

 

[TehDoak]

If i can survive through Sunday this week, Monday is labor day, I work one day, then its 4 nights in Chicago with the wife. It's been far too long and Chicago actually has controlled covid numbers, unlike this dumpster fire of a state.

 

[brian_griffin]

@TehDoak Chi-town for the win. Remember meeting you there a decade ago and apologize for starting drinking earlier than you. Chicago remains a favorite city for my wife and I; her folks are from NW Indiana and her great-grandma who lived in downtown Chicago had to pay protection money to Al Capone for her cigar store business back in the day. I hope you two and twins enjoy time with wife’s family and friends.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Went grocery shopping, first non hospital trip in over a month so got all spruced up ie shaved the head as it's been about 6wks, put the grey beard up under the mask and hobbled myself around the store. Now the good and bad thing about this store is the aisles are narrow which sucks for getting around fat expats but can make things interesting as the store is ground zero for bar girl central. So in my quest to replenish my gatorade, Tang, lemonade, Chef Boyarde, Chunky soup, and Dinty Moore beef stew plus sundry meat and vegetables I was accosted in every aisle by pajama wearing Filipinas determined to assist me. Would of swore I was in Walmart but none of the girls were over a size 6 nor had curlers in their hair

 

[cybresabre]

Asking here instead of going to the source. Do anyone know if the local shops swap nameplates of the previous navy jerseys or is everything switched over to the royal era?

 

[Mike McDermott]

So my work just pushed our return to office date back again until at least the 2nd week of January. I'm not surprised, and there is a part of me who misses certain aspects of being in the office daily but at the end of the day I hope they just see the writing on the wall and go to full time work from home. Unless the associate is in training, or doesn't perform at home to standard.

 

[valet]

talked to my boss today and he says I can work from home all winter if I want, which is a major plus. my team can mostly operate completely remotely and I don't foresee any pressure to get people back to in person in the foreseeable future or maybe ever. but I can see myself going in a couple of days just to keep up and get some social interaction outside of my friend group. rolling out of bed and working is almost too good

 

[Jim Bob]

I wish I could go back to WFH every day...

 

[Jim Bob]

@sabremike are you related?