dean

Marine aquaria came to mind because I've kept aquaria since I was about nine. In fact, I was one of the early adopters, so to speak, of some of the earliest marine filtration technology that was being developed in Germany way back when.
Some years later, when reef aquaria started becoming popular in the US, I started a side business of a sort, designing and building marine aquarium systems for private, public, and commercial use. I did very well at it until my patience gave out, as I found myself having to deal with people who possessed far more money than sense, and who cared little for the well-being of the animals they were attempting to keep.Their aquaria being nothing more to them but possessions with which to impress their friends and neighbors.

I may look into setting up a tank for myself, perhaps something in the 150 gallon range, but I need to discuss it with Rori first. I've been trying to talk her into letting me have a cat (Manx), but I'm not having much luck there. So, an aquarium might be a good compromise.

Lainey

I'd suggest high school kids, but nobody likes kids that age.

So right now you want to have fish and a cat. Do you not see anything wrong with this picture?



I'd suggest you volunteer at a local aquarium, but we know your history with leading aquarium tours in CT. Calling the bingo game at the Villages doesn't seem to suit you either.

Could you grow and become one of those legal dispensaries? Everyone would love you!

dean

^ The closest public aquarium is in Tampa, which is about two hours from my place. The only other place around is Sea World in Orlando, and I wouldn't take the time to piss on those exploitative, profiteering, animal-abusing scumbags if they spontaneously combusted.

And truth be told - our experience there aside - my opinion of the Mystic Aquarium isn't much higher.

Zippy

I will be curious to hear your review. They really remind of the Gallo speakers, but I haven't listened to them either.

buckeyesue

Do you have any interest at all in genealogy?

I have spent more hours than I like to admit on ancestry.com researching my own families.

I have also helped others research their families, too.

dean

Yes, I do. Although, I did the majority of my research when I was in high school. The maternal side of my family has been in North America since 1605, and they helped settle the Midcoast region of what is now Maine. They came here from Scotland by way of England.
The paternal side of my family - two brothers - emigrated here in 1654 from Wherstead, Suffolk, England. They were the original settlers of what is now Newburyport, MA.

I still have the original family tree that I drew and wrote out by hand on a roll of white butcher paper that's still holding up well after all these years. Just to be safe, I spent a small fortune to have a photocopied replica of it made, which I gave to my oldest daughter for safekeeping. I have appointed her as the new family archivist, as I am stepping down.

Like you, I've spent quite a few hours on Ancestry.com, but my focus these days is on finding more contemporary paternal relatives.
My mother divorced my father when I was two. I haven't the first clue as to what he looked like, nor much else in the way of details.
It wasn't until approximately two years ago I learned (thanks to Ancestry.com), that my father died in 1976 in Chelsea, MA, at the age of fifty. The cause of death wasn't given, but I strongly suspect his death was alcohol related.

I've also found the death certificate of his brother, the names of his two sisters, his parents' names, as well as the address of the house in Danvers, MA. they lived in when my father was a child. But it now seems that I've come to a dead end, as I have been totally unsuccessful at finding any living paternal relatives. I've subscribed to a group devoted to researching the genealogy of my surname, scoured social websites like Facebook, and searched the Internet extensively for the past few years without success.
It's possible that I'm the last of my lineage, I suppose, but I doubt that's the case.

If you are absolutely desperate for something to do and would like to take a stab at it, I would be quite happy to send you a PM with the particulars on who I am attempting to track.

dean

Yes, I do. Although, I did the majority of my research when I was in high school. The maternal side of my family has been in North America since 1605, and they helped settle the Midcoast region of what is now Maine. They came here from Scotland by way of England.
The paternal side of my family - two brothers - emigrated here in 1654 from Wherstead, Suffolk, England. They were the original settlers of what is now Newburyport, MA.

I still have the original family tree that I drew and wrote out by hand on a roll of white butcher paper that's still holding up well after all these years. Just to be safe, I spent a small fortune to have a photocopied replica of it made, which I gave to my oldest daughter for safekeeping. I have appointed her as the new family archivist, as I am stepping down.

Like you, I've spent quite a few hours on Ancestry.com, but my focus these days is on finding more contemporary paternal relatives.
My mother divorced my father when I was two. I haven't the first clue as to what he looked like, nor much else in the way of details.
It wasn't until approximately two years ago I learned (thanks to Ancestry.com), that my father died in 1976 in Chelsea, MA, at the age of fifty. The cause of death wasn't given, but I strongly suspect his death was alcohol related.

I've also found the death certificate of his brother, the names of his two sisters, his parents' names, as well as the address of the house in Danvers, MA. they lived in when my father was a child. But it now seems that I've come to a dead end, as I have been totally unsuccessful at finding any living paternal relatives. I've subscribed to a group devoted to researching the genealogy of my surname, scoured social websites like Facebook, and searched the Internet extensively for the past few years without success.
It's possible that I'm the last of my lineage, I suppose, but I doubt that's the case.

If you are absolutely desperate for something to do and would like to take a stab at it, I would be quite happy to send you a PM with the particulars on who I am attempting to track.

dean

I've heard both, but I haven't heard them side by side, so I can't make a comparison. I'll let you know what I think of the Orbs once I get the Salks sold and get the Orbs installed.

Of course, being me, I would have to prefer the optional brushed steel finish OA offers, which carries a $60/pair premium. I couldn't be happy with the basic and less expensive black or white options.

ralper

I've been looking to buy an old sports car to tinker with. I started by looking for old MGs but I might've fallen into a 1987 Bertone X 1/9 from an estate. Having owned a 1979 version I can attest to the fact that there's a lot of tinkering to do and it will take up plenty of time. If this isn't too exhausting for you it's really a very rewarding thing to do. Keeping an old English or Italian sports car running is quite a challenge. And if you're up to it it's quite rewarding.

If not that then learn to play the guitar. You needn't get to be as good as Springsteen to enjoy it, and adult ed courses in guitar are cheap and always being offered, usually at your local high school. If not the guitar, try piano lessons. Both instruments take a lot of time and practice, but once you can play a few songs, they're quite rewarding.

If not that do some volunteer work. Mentor some kids, work in a soup kitchen, man a counter at a thrift shop, keep the books for a not for profit organization. You'll pass your time and do some good as well.

dean

^ Thanks, Rob. Those are all very good ideas. I used to enjoy tinkering on cars, in fact, some years ago, I built two Jeeps (a CJ-7 and a CJ -8) almost literally from scratch. The only things original about them when I was done were the motor vehicle titles. Every other part had been replaced with non-Jeep/AMC parts.
Now, I'm older and between my knee, my back, my arm, and my lungs, working on a car has become quite the chore, rather than the enjoyable pastime it once was. Plus I'm moving to a much smaller house, and there's no room for another car. The new house doesn't even have room for a golf cart, because we have two cars.

As for playing guitar, I do not have a musical bone in my body. Even my music teacher back in junior high jokingly remarked that I "couldn't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow". I love listening to music, but don't have any talent for playing a musical instrument; not even the air guitar. However, I did give some thought to learning to play the Great Highland Bagpipe shortly before my PF diagnosis. A diagnosis that may well have saved Rori, my dog, and my neighbors unspeakable misery.

While I haven't done it recently because of my health issues, I'm a serial volunteer. Over the years I've volunteered at alcohol/drug detox units, alcohol/drug rehab units, homeless shelters, and a shelter for battered women. I've also made it a habit to tutor financially disadvantaged college students on my own time throughout my academic career. Most recently - before the feces hit the air impeller - I was mentoring LGBTQ college students. I can't imagine myself not being involved as a volunteer for some cause or another after I retire. I have one in mind, but it's political and controversial in nature, and would probably incite some trolls, so I won't go into details here.

Disclaimer: Lest I be accused of attempting to pass myself off as some sort of saint, I haven't done this volunteer work because I imagine myself a saint. Quite the opposite, in fact.