Reality thread...continued.

[djthumper]

Funny how quickly you get re-compressed when you get back to work.

 

[BlazingTrails]

I've never seen this thread before! Working night shift!!

 

[djthumper]

Oh so I showed you a new thread eh?

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

We got several reality threads now.

 

[djthumper]

Maybe even a couple that a show can come out of.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Few dance numbers n we got hit!

 

[smitty5150]

So glad to see the forum still alive and kicking. Where the hell have I been? I see I've been absent long enough to get booted from the moderator table. Haven't had the time anyway. I have a new position at work, busting my ass to reorganize my light mod shop, getting divorced, all kinds of fun stuff. I've bounced around with different vehicles for a couple years since I got rid of my trailblazer.

Just just picked up this gem by accident. 2006 97x 5.3. Wasn't even looking for a gmt, saw it, drove it, fell in live, bought it that day. Glad to be back!

 

[Blckshdw]

Sorry to hear about the split Smitty, but glad to see you coming back around. Hope business is booming up there.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Good to see ya n smooth ride

 

[smitty5150]

Thanks!

 

[djthumper]

good to see you Smitty

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Taking off early to go hang out with a few other forum members and have a couple cold ones. Today ought to make a nice start to the weekend.

 

[Blade]

Nice stuff! Good to see everyone hanging in there!

 

[djthumper]

Where have you been?

 

[Capote]

Never posted here before, never wanted to post all the bs in my failed marriage. She's back for now, says we're not married, but our current situation is co-habitants, she says we're still separated (not legally). It's mostly for the kids that she's here and the fact she couldn't stand it anymore living with her parents in NY where she has been until now since June.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Sucks. Not sure I could do a half in half out relationship like that.

 

[Capote]

Sucks. Not sure I could do a half in half out relationship like that.

Would NEVER wish this crap on anyone's "marriage"

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Hope you are able to do all you can for the kids. That is what scares me if the wife were to fly off the deep end.

--Dont forget to take care of you as well. Seen too many good men forget that in shitty situations like you got dealt.

 

[Capote]

The kids are very important to me, they've really bonded with me since being back. They'll push eachother just to sit on my lap. I tend to let my wellbeing falter.... That's why my house was in such a mess while she was gone. Didn't see the point in caring. Cleaned it up though while they've been here, but of coarse she said I should of already done that 4 months ago. I told her I was extremely depressed and even cut myself so bad one night I had to go to the hospital

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

No bitch is worth that

 

[Capote]

It was a stupid thing I did, I was really not myself that night man....I was even laughing like a damn mad man. Was very dark brother

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

It happens to the best of us. Just close that door n move it on up

 

[Blade]

Where have you been?

Hey Larry. Lots of travel and plain goofing around. I have taken up radio controlled flying. Just planes right now but man it takes up your time.

Heading back to palm Springs for a couple of weeks at the end of February for golf then down to Vegas at the end of March.

 

[djthumper]

Spent last weekend up in the Reno area for a ham radio convention.

 

[BC backroader]

Hey, Blade, which field are you flying at? I've been in RC flying since '97, and know them all in our area. I'm the MAAC Assistant Zone Director, so I get to hang out at all the fields, and know most of the people in the hobby here.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Busy busy times with trying to get basement re-finished. Luckily Regulator offered to come help a couple days this weekend. Should be able to knock a bunch out.

Figured out why my dad left his old pool table for me...HOLY crap is it heavy even in pieces. Be sweet when it gets redone in a couple years. The newer one looks better on surface and will work, but i figure to restore the old one to original glory one of these days since it has better bones.

 

[Blckshdw]

Well, it's about that time to do some reluctant upgrading. 10 years ago, I bought an Olevia 42" LCD TV after seeing them advertised on SportsCenter. It was my first flat screen TV, so I was a happy camper. Recently, the screen started flickering periodically. At first I thought it was my Playstation, since it only did it when I was gaming usually late at night. Turns out, it was doing it after being on for 5+ hours and was getting too hot. Putting a desk fan blowing air into the vents has helped, but that's just a bandaid.

So I'm shopping for a replacement before it dies, and have it down to 2 choices. Both refurbished Vizios, a 55" which has the features I want, and the size I would need... and a 65" that also has the features I want, faster refresh rate, within my budget, and it's huge

Now just have to figure out which side of the fence to come down on. Any suggestions? Will probably visit the store this weekend to see the new models in person.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

We had a cheap 40 inch for years and then a couple months ago i bought two 55 inchers in about 12 hours. A Hitachi and a TCL Roku with great review and PCMag's editors choice for budget tv.

 

[Mounce]

Well, it's about that time to do some reluctant upgrading. 10 years ago, I bought an Olevia 42" LCD TV after seeing them advertised on SportsCenter. It was my first flat screen TV, so I was a happy camper. Recently, the screen started flickering periodically. At first I thought it was my Playstation, since it only did it when I was gaming usually late at night. Turns out, it was doing it after being on for 5+ hours and was getting too hot. Putting a desk fan blowing air into the vents has helped, but that's just a bandaid.

So I'm shopping for a replacement before it dies, and have it down to 2 choices. Both refurbished Vizios, a 55" which has the features I want, and the size I would need... and a 65" that also has the features I want, faster refresh rate, within my budget, and it's huge [emoji3]

Now just have to figure out which side of the fence to come down on. Any suggestions? Will probably visit the store this weekend to see the new models in person.

So they essentially both offer what you want and are both in your budget?

Bigger is always better I reckon.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I would have gone bigger, but I got two for the price of one basically. But I was definitely looking at budget models and not high-end.

 

[Blckshdw]

Most of my friends have 55"s, and those seem plenty big enough, especially compared to my 42". Just thinking of sitting in front of a 65" seems like it would be like having IMAX in my living room. I pick up the keys to my new place tomorrow, and had an idea of how I wanted to lay things out. I'll have to re-evaluate for something that big.

There's also about a 40lb difference between them. Depending on how awkward they are, lifting them solo could be an issue. That's the main issue with the current one. No idea why it's so freaking heavy, when I first bought it, I could barely lift it on my own, to get it out of the box and onto the stand. These days, I won't dare try it.

High end isn't something I really need. Decent brand, 4 HDMIs, and web access is really all I'll ever use. Of course, extended warranty coverage will be a must.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

My new 55 is lighter than my old 40.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Went by Tacobell with the buds and the kid running the register complimented my ride. We got to talking about our trucks, turns out he's gotta Ram 1500 and liked my lightbar. When I ordered, he gave me a free large drink.
I found a new friend at T-Bell!

 

[Sparky]

Well, it's about that time to do some reluctant upgrading. 10 years ago, I bought an Olevia 42" LCD TV after seeing them advertised on SportsCenter. It was my first flat screen TV, so I was a happy camper. Recently, the screen started flickering periodically. At first I thought it was my Playstation, since it only did it when I was gaming usually late at night. Turns out, it was doing it after being on for 5+ hours and was getting too hot. Putting a desk fan blowing air into the vents has helped, but that's just a bandaid.

So I'm shopping for a replacement before it dies, and have it down to 2 choices. Both refurbished Vizios, a 55" which has the features I want, and the size I would need... and a 65" that also has the features I want, faster refresh rate, within my budget, and it's huge

Now just have to figure out which side of the fence to come down on. Any suggestions? Will probably visit the store this weekend to see the new models in person.

Those TVs were notorious for bad caps. I'll bet you could fix it with just a little soldering

 

[Blckshdw]

Those TVs were notorious for bad caps. I'll bet you could fix it with just a little soldering

One of my coworkers suggested taking the back cover off and seeing if there was any dust I could clean out. Might give that a go tomorrow. Not sure I'd know where to look for a bad cap, unless it's scorched or something, although the current position of the table fan may help, as it's new position seems to have stopped the flickering problem.

 

[Sparky]

Usually bad caps are pretty obvious. They should be flat on top. Most bad ones end up bulging and/or leaking goo. I usually use Panasonic FM series caps for a lot of my recap projects, from Digikey.

Of course, if you want to use this as an excuse to upgrade then by all means do that lol.

 

[Sparky]

Roofing guy came out to power wash, scrape, and reseal my metal roof on my house. Got a bunch done yesterday but ran out of time. He came back this morning, started working, and threw out his back He's going to be back on Tuesday most likely after getting that taken care of. We both go to the same chiropractor which is actually how I got his number. He's had a bad back for going on nearly 20 years now, but thanks to our chiropractor he has avoided surgery up to this point so far. Probably will need it eventually but he's not rushing to do that. He's almost 60 now, been roofing for about 40 years.

Found a couple wasps trying to make nests in my attic through a hole in my eave vent screening, so sprayed them and after it all dries I'll fix that screen.

I moved most of my furnace stuff down to the basement and have been watching the install videos this afternoon. Not sure when I'll actually start the install process. I'm relocating the furnace to a more central location. The old fuel oil furnace is a horizontal unit while the new is vertical, so all the ductwork was going to have to be redone anyway. Might as well put it in the best spot possible. The old location kinda sucks with how the ductwork runs to it, as it makes most of the air go to the living room and kitchen (which is also where the thermostat is), which leaves the end of the house getting not as much and is a bit cold in the winter.

 

[DAlastDON]

Have you thought about zone control dampers? I am thinking about installing three zones in my home. Basement, bedrooms, and living room. The basement is always to warm in the winter and too cool in the summer(like a meat locker). Living room was a garage that was converted by the previous home owner. I added insulation and duct work to heat and cool it in 2007. It is too warm in the summer and too cool in the winter still but much better than it was. The bedrooms always stay about right because the thermostat is in the hallway.

 

[Sparky]

Yeah I thought about those too. Want to see what relocating the furnace does for me as the airflow to the bedrooms is weak and this should help to start with. If it still seems iffy I'll then do dampers. One step at a time. Besides, relocating makes the install actually easier as I can work on setting up the new furnace before tearing out the old.

I just remembered that one component is backordered so I can't really do too much with the ductwork yet anyway. Drat.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Boredom this morning got me thinking of a whole headlight overhaul. Thinking of doing LED's in every socket (switchbacks as well) and adding round CREE fogs. Headlight housings will be new as my 13 year old housings are toast due to oxidation. Cap and DRL mods will be done as well.

Now it's time to get a grocery list going.