FlyingJ

Agreed, though we did have that cold front come through the other day. It went down to 60 F at night. It's a beautiful 82F (27-28C) day here in my backyard just north of Corpus Christi. Killing threads since 2004.

I used to live to work. Lived in NYC working for non-profit arts org doing event planning. Loved every second of it, but worked 12-14 hours 6 days a week. I have to admit though, a lot of that extra or late night work was "working" concerts. Day in and day out I was among the most incredible jazz artists the planet has to offer so it took some of the sting away from the hours. I made the most of the time off I had but my free time was most definitely not my focus. A decision to step away and join AmeriCorps for a year changed it all. Seven years later I live on the coast where I work as an EMT. I get shit for pay and as a result work multiple jobs, but the 24/48 schedule and the ability to do shift trades to get 5 or even up to 10 days off at a time without burning vacation makes it feel like I have endless time off. I bought a fishing boat and spend most of my free time on the water. I hate being so far away from my family (they are in Atlanta) but at the same time I can't imagine living on the water The biggest downfall is that I most definitely don't find myself intellectually challenged by the work and sometimes that gets old, but I have found a few people down here in small town Texas that realize the world doesn't end at the Oklahoma border and that help keep me sane. The dating scene blows too, but for the moment I'm just enjoying life and seeing what comes my way. In time I will likely move back to the southeast to be closer to my family. For now, the picture attached was taken from my back door. It'll do. Killing threads since 2004.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIyeNRbbKBw Killing threads since 2004.

No regrets! Straight to a corporate job in NYC after college. Made excellent money but bored out of my mind. Two years later resigned to go work in non-profit arts earning aprox. $30,000 less as someone's assistant to learn the ropes in fundraising/event planning. Loved it, excelled, 4 years later working as events manager for major non-profit but ready for a change again. Decided to sneak away for a year to do an AmeriCorps program in Florida, with plans to head back to NYC when done. Moved into a camper on the beach in the state park I worked for, decided I liked it and stayed on for a second year. I enjoyed the hell out of small town life and found out that I could get paid full time for working in wildland fire, both fighting and traveling around the country doing prescribed burning. Bailed on going back to NYC and followed a fire job to Texas. Loved the fire work, but 40 miles was too far from the water for me. Picked up a job as an EMT making the least money I've ever made professionally but now live on the coast with a rented house on the water, own a boat and truly do work to live rather than live to work as I did for so many years. I'm broke and it kills me to not have the money to travel to the southeast as often as I'd like to visit my family, but I have never been happier. Only the love life really suffers where I live now. Plenty of opportunity to date, but a pretty bleak outlook on the long term. For now though, I work, and I fish, and then I fish, fish again and then go back to work. Works for me! Killing threads since 2004.

I have to admit, I own an A&M shirt. Grew up in Georgia and don't give two hoots about A&M, but it is a decent quality long sleeve shirt and it was on sale for $1.99 at Academy. Can always use another decent long sleeve shirt for the fall/winter trips down the beach. I would never wear it on a Saturday during football season though! Killing threads since 2004.

Do you have a credit card connected to the account? I wonder if it has something to do with being able to recoup their money if something happens and the sender's payment is bogus. I have always had a checking, savings and credit card attached to my paypal as long as I've been using the site. Just a guess. Kind of like being able to deposit checks via a cell phone and having the money available immediately.. The bank only allows it if you have a credit card or loan with them, that way if the check bounces and you've already spent the money they can still get it back from you. Killing threads since 2004.

I haven't received money for more than two years, but prior to that it was always available immediately. I've never heard a complaint from anyone I've sent money to and I use it for that all the time. I was impressed with the customer service a while back when I saw activity on my account that wasn't mine. Someone had gotten in and requested $100 be withdrawn from my checking and added to my paypal balance, which they would have then been able to send to themselves or spend. Thankfully I saw the email notification that the request had been made and flagged it before the money came out of my account. Killing threads since 2004.

One thing I definitely appreciated was the existence of a Bentley "Bible" and the fact hat you could practically sit inside the engine compartment while working on anything under the hood. After leaving NYC my first car was a Dodge Intrepid that was so convoluted you might as well have had to pull the engine block just to change the oil Made me really appreciate the ol' Volvo. That's an awesome license plate. Killing threads since 2004.

For me it's the 1989 Volvo 240DL, or my Swedish Brick. That car would just go. I put 250,000 miles on it in 3 years while going to school in Cincinnati but traveling frequently between there, NYC and Atlanta. I drove it for 8 months with just 3rd, 5th and reverse. In Cincinnati, the "City of Seven Hills" the M47 5spd transmission did just fine starting up those hills in 3rd gear. One of my most fond memories of the car was the entirely plastic interior, including the headlining, etc. Aside from the cloth seats there wasn't a surface in the car that couldn't be sprayed and wiped down. Once in a campground I locked my keys in the trunk. The trunk had the ability to lock independently from the rest of the doors. And it did. With my keys in it. Somewhere in the Catskill mountains. I pulled as much of the trunk contents as I could through the ski hole behind the armrest in the back seat. Sleeping bags, clothes, you name it. Finally we could see the keys, as far as they could possibly be from that ski hole opening. A variety of people tried reaching. Some with barbecue tongs, others using a walking stick. Alas, no luck. I proceeded to remove the back seat and use my leatherman tool (that I had just purchased a socket accessory for) to start taking apart the framework until we could cut through the fiberboard backing and get a shoulder through allowing us just enough extra distance to grab the keys. Throughout all of this I forgot about the bacon in a pan on the fire and ruined breakfast. I think in the end I was more upset about the bacon than the keys. I miss that car. I replaced that transmission and moved the car to NYC with me. It just sat there. Neglected. It made for some great weekend getaways, usually to the Catskills for hiking and camping, or to NJ to visit my Grandma, but I couldn't just let it sit there and deteriorate after how good it had been to me. So I sold it. I became desperate to sell it after it sat with a for sale sign on it for months with very little interest. The sign on the car was down to $500 when I got an email from a guy that saw my auto trader ad from months before that still said $1500. He said "it looks just like one I had and wrecked...I really want your car." He said he couldn't afford it right now but he was going to sell some stuff on ebay to be able to afford it. I asked how much he could pay cash and what was he trying to sell. He had $1,000 cash and was going to auction a dvd player, 15 dvds, a digital camera, a playstation and a few games. I told him to give me the cash and everything but the playstation and I'd save him the trouble of putting it on ebay. I felt a little bad considering I was only asking $500 on the sign at the time, but I was broke and living in NYC. Turns out the guy was a douche that left before I took my plate off the car and racked up parking tickets in my name all over Pennsylvania. About two dozen jury summons and a warrant out for my arrest in Pennsylvania later I got it straightened out and last I heard the car had been booted, towed and impounded. Hopefully it got auctioned off to someone that would appreciate it as much as I did. I sold it with just under 400,000 miles on it having replaced the transmission and catalytic converter around 325,000 and the computer at 340,000. Other than your regular tune-up/brakes stuff and a water pump everything else was original (if I was to believe the original owner that told me everything was original when I purchased it). While that car would hardly be practical in my current life, I often wonder if I might someday run into it again, and look with a bit of angst when I see a maroon 240 driving down the street. Killing threads since 2004.

This is hilarious if you haven't seen it yet. Rick Perry and Obama are in the videos, but the content has nothing to do with politics. Just watch and you'll see...hilarious! Bad lip reading of Michael Buble: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjaZNYSt7o0&feature=related Bad lip reading of Rick Perry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhDhDRvHaGs Bad lip reading of Barack Obama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehYoIKTsiV0&feature=related Killing threads since 2004.

I missed this one the first few times around. Makes me miss Lee reading it from the beginning. So what number do we assign to the guy that goes six to eight months, or even a year or more without visiting the site, comes back and posts a ton for a few months and then goes back to not visiting at all for a while? Killing threads since 2004.

I really enjoyed Under Our Skin about chronic Lyme disease. It blew my mind to know just how bad it could be, and just how misunderstood a disease it is. It's not the best made documentary I've seen, but as someone that spends tons of time outdoors and has picked off hundreds of ticks over the years, it's eye opening to say the least. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_Our_Skin eta: It's also on Netflix instant. Killing threads since 2004.

Don't get me wrong about sheltering at the beach. We have a bomb proof shelter set up that we use for long duration trips with an area that is always above the high tide line. We'll use that setup when family, kids etc come along. I have a 10ft 2x4 that clamps to my roof rack. It has eye bolts that match up to the grommets on my canvas tarps. Tarps are 10x20 and they overlap slightly, connecting in the middle and then to my buddy's vehicle in the same fashion. I made my own PVC extendable poles that are extremely sturdy. One goes dead center to make it the highest point and then three along the edges. I use oversized (1.5 ft long) and wide stakes that have never pulled out of the sand. I have smaller tarps that are connected at the top and run down the guy lines on each side of the canopy. They unclip easily at the bottom and are rolled up on the side they aren't needed. A combination of kayaks not in use and scrap plywood is set up on the outside of both trucks to block the wind from coming underneath. We've been out there in 20mph winds with barely a breeze underneath. I'll be honest that I get pumped about bringing out something new and improved each trip to make the sheltering better. In the case of the parachute...Just need a quick and easy shelter foe when it is just a few of us. This past weekend we fished a shark tournament and all stayed right down at the surf with the truck that has our shark tower on it. Unfortunately staying that close to the water you are much more impacted by changing tides. I'll post some pics later when I'm on my computer. Killing threads since 2004.

Has anyone out there rigged up an old military round for use as shade at the beach? I've seen it done a few different ways but I'm interested to see how any of y'all have done it. I live near and spend a considerable amount of time at the beach, typically at least a couple days a week and I frequently spend 3 to 5 days camped out shark fishing. I'm looking for something lightweight that doesn't take up much room that can provide a substantial amount of shade without requiring much structural set up. More simply...I want lots of shade, that fits easily in my jeep, that I can take down and move in a hurry when the tide comes up 30ft further than predicted. With near constant 5-12mph winds a parachute tied to a couple vehicles and staked down in the back seems like it would be about perfect. The local Army surplus stores around here want upwards of $300+ for an old 35ft round which doesn't quite fit into my measly EMT salary, so I certainly haven't made the purchase yet, but I'm starting to look online and would love to see how any of you have rigged up old parachutes for shade. Killing threads since 2004.

Anyone know if any of these are carded for wildland fire work? On all the fires I've been on throughout the country I haven't ever run into one of these. Seems like it would be perfect if it's not already in use. Killing threads since 2004.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr Fantastic historical fiction. Serial killer based in late 1800s NYC at the time Theodore Roosevelt was president of the police board. I read it a couple times a year, and reading it foe the first time about 12 years ago got me very interested in the time period and especially in Theodore Roosevelt. The sequel Angel of Darkness is good as well, but not as grea. As th first one. Killing threads since 2004.

In my experience the Reds are not anywhere near as wormy as the Black Drum, but I've cut into very few big ones of either variety. Don't really know the reason but I expect it might have to do with the age of the fish? I believe the Reds grow much more quickly than black drum. Regulator...you keep your hooks off my tagged fish!!! I haven't checked the leader board this week but last I checked we had one truck/boat for a tagged Red left in the middle coast. I've been fishing like crazy lately too just hoping for that big trout or tagged red. My buddy fished the surf yesterday for a few hours. Said it was beautiful, with 6" to 1 foot breakers on the first bar and that was it. Had all sorts of decent size trout checking out his topwater but ended the day having caught about a dozen skipjack 3ft or larger. He had fun doing it, but still pretty frustrated. Killing threads since 2004.

Nice. That's the perfect size to make for a fun little fight in a kayak. In Texas we can keep them up to 28 and get one tag to keep on oversize. You are right though...it's not usually the people that know what they are doing that keep the big ones. Give me 20-24 inch Reds all day and I'm fat and happy. Killing threads since 2004.

Yes, ma'am. It's a tunnel hull. Killing threads since 2004.

This was the fortune my co-worker received yesterday at the local Chinese buffet. eta: Sorry the photo is sideways. I rotated and saved it twice but when uploaded it still shows up sideways. Killing threads since 2004.

Just saw this thread...thought I'd throw up a pic to show where my free time and not so free money go. It's a 1990 16' Majek Texas Skiff with a Johnson 70 on it. Strictly a flats boat perfect for the Texas coast where I live. It floats with no problem in 6 inches of water and I can run on plane in less than a foot without leaving a prop scar. Former owner says he frequently ran on plane in 7 - 8 inches but I'm not interested in digging up the bottom or tearing up my prop, so I keep it to about a foot minimum depth. Lots of protected sea grass areas down here so poling, trolling and drifting is the name of the game. Killing threads since 2004.

Read up on what he is doing before being critical about it... http://www.patriotguard.org/ Killing threads since 2004.

I failed to mention that the LTC only stepped in after one guy at the bar mentioned that he would pick up the kids beer tab and a second person said he'd pick up his lunch. It was tough to hear exactly what was said in the "smackdown" but it was along the lines of "the reason these people are offering to buy your meal is because they respect what you've done for them. They respect the risk you've made and they respect the lives others have given. We welcome you with open arms if you want to join and earn that beer and meal that they are willing to buy for you, but for now you are just disrespecting them, disrespecting those currently serving and disrespecting those that have died to make sure you continue to have the right to pretend to be anyone you want to be. These folks don't look too happy that you were taking them up on their offer to pay for you when you didn't earn it so I don't imagine you want to stay around here very long. I will pay your tab so you can leave here now and go think about your life." This is nowhere near verbatim, but it is the general idea of what I was able to hear. I have no problem with anyone dressing however they choose to dress, wearing what they want to wear, but when you fraudulently take something from someone that was meant to honor the service you have rendered on their behalf then to me that is crossing the line. Killing threads since 2004.

Yup, that's the one. I've seen it a few times but someone just posted it on Facebook again so I thought I'd add it here. I always get a good laugh out of it, even after checking it on Snopes. I added the pic I intended to include back up on the first post. Killing threads since 2004.

Had some time to kill at the ATL airport so I was waiting in line to be seated at a bar/restaurant. Military looking kid (hair cut/cammo bag, obviously going for the look) was standing at the bar sharing war stories. He didn't notice the LTC in uniform standing just behind him as he goes on and on. LTC listens for a few minutes and then asks the kid a few questions and quickly determines that the kid is full of shit. He is not (nor was he ever) in the service. With enviable patience and barely audible the LTC issued a most impressive smackdown, followed by paying for the kid's lunch "so you can move on to thinking about your life out of my presence." This happened back at the beginning of May, but it came to mind while thinking about my family and friends that are currently serving. What a freakin' douche dealt with by a true class act. Killing threads since 2004.