OPPO Open Discussion Thread

"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/07/2018 at 10:25 • Filed to: None

How’s it going? What’s new? What’s next?

It’s my daughter’s 10th birthday today. She’s such a sweet kid, and still very much a “daddy’s girl”. She’s a good student, a great athlete, and a kind and giving friend. As she turns double-digits, I know the teenage years are coming, and fast ... She does have a stubborn streak - like her momma - which can be a good or bad thing, depending on the situation! Hoping we can navigate this next decade of her life and be just as close on the other side as we are now. Dinner out all together tonight, then ice cream, then presents at home.

My life seems to be ruled by work and kids’ sports these days. Soccer season just wrapped up (she does have one last tournament), and basketball’s ramping up. Games for my oldest start soon (he’s middle school now ), and practices for my daughter just started (I’m assistant coach). My little guy will do an 8-week skills “camp” early next year that I’ll help with as well. Mrs. addiction was assistant coach for all three in soccer, so now she gets a well-deserved break. Finding time to do much of anything else besides is a challenge... Coaching is good for me, though. Adds some physical activity I’m not getting enough of otherwise and I’m happy to spend time with my kids and their friends.

Sadly, o ur fall backroadtrip to NW Arkansas got cancelled this year due to lack of commitment and conflicts (partially my fault - my cousin needed help moving on the weekend we’d planned it). I really hate missing it; it’s the first time in something like a decade that I haven’t gone (with this group or another or on my own) . Hopefully we’ll get a big group to go in the spring to make up for it.

Work is work. Can’t complain (or shouldn’t, anyway ).

Hate that the light is gone before 6:00 now and that we have a low of 23 coming Friday night, but there’s not too much I can do about that!

DISCUSSION (49)

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:06

Have fun with the angsty teen blunder years. I think back on mine and cringe at quite a few different things, but who doesn’t?

In other news, race season is over, the Daytona race bike is in a state of winter disassembly/maintenance and the 900ss is finally getting parted out. I'm planning on letting the riding continue as my buddy is trying to get me to take my supermoto to the indoor MX complex in town. I should probably start dumping money into an HSA for that . . . .

phenotyp > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:15

We’re all still dealing with Beto’s loss, here. That he came so close was a BFD, but my daughter asked this morning if he’d won, and it was real hard to explain it.

Work continues, in some way. Still trying to figure that out.

Congratulations to your daughter and you for making it 10 years! We’re 5 years in, and I can’t even imagine what the next 5 will bring.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:27

my daughter is 16 and has aquired a boyfriend.... and she was home laaaaaaaate today *psychodad intensifies*

also came home with a hickey a while back... wich ive been mocking her for relentlessly... coz im kind of a dick

these are developments that dont make me very happy...

on the flip side... the dude seems allright... actually called us to ask if she could come over to his house and gave the adress along with a promise that his parents are home... thats shit teen me wouldnt even have thought of...

watcha gonna do... this was always gonna come

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Biggus Dickus (RevsBro)
11/07/2018 at 11:27

Yup...

Indoor MX complex?! Link?

Dru > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:28

It’s nice to hear your family is doing well. We have a daughter due in December. I’m quite excited. Work is busy, chaotic even, and I’m currently procrastinating. But I’m grateful.

The important stuff: considering selling my ‘85 4Runner project. For what? I don’t know.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/07/2018 at 11:29

I shudd er at the thought.

I think I’d want to talk with the parents to confirm. Trust, but verify...

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:36

yeah.. we checked... turns out they live in the fancy part of town... sooo at least she didnt pick some poor shmuck like me :p

but nothing much i can do about it... i know if i try and put a stop to it i’ll achieve nothing more than just not being in the loop from there on

shit might be enough to turn me grey :p

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > phenotyp
11/07/2018 at 11:37

Yeah, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, as they say. Same story for Gillum in Florida.

Good luck finding the right way forward with your work.

Thanks - we’ve got almost 12, 10 and almost 6, boy-girl-boy. Been a fun ride so far, guessing it’s going to get bumpy for a stretch, but we’ll be doing our best to keep it out of the ditch!

Soak up those little kid years! My youngest still wants to be held sometimes, and I’m going to keep doing that as long as he wants to, regardless of what my back has to say on the matter. Luckily my daughter still likes to crawl into my lap and snuggle - I’ll be very sad when than ends...

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:38

https://www.cedarlakespeedway.com/page/show/1500304-photo-tour

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/07/2018 at 11:38

Haha!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Dru
11/07/2018 at 11:40

Congrats! Final stretch - hope everything goes smoothly for both of your girls when the time comes.

Hmm... so many choices.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Biggus Dickus (RevsBro)
11/07/2018 at 11:41

Cool!

functionoverfashion > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:42

This time of year is such a damn rollercoaster, and our kids are still pretty small (4/6). My wife gets really stressed about The Holidays, and already has a stressful job. I try really, really hard to do everything I can to make things go smoothly and take things off her plate, but she’s a perfectionist and also grew up as an only child, so sometimes she won’t ask/won’t accept help when she needs it most.

But the holidays themselves are pretty fun with the kids. We don’t have a crazy dysfunctional family and we enjoy spending time with them, on top of that it’s not a ton of travel because everyone is pretty close. That said, it’s not drama-free... but I can’t complain big picture.

I also start coaching ski jumping after Thanksgiving so my work / kid / home life, which is already pretty packed, has another big layer added to it. I feel like, in the analogy where you have a jar, then fill it with golf balls, then add marbles, then add sand, then add water; coaching is the “water added” to a jar that already looks really, really full.

So I’m about 50/50 looking forward to this season and already trying to get ahead of things so my wife doesn’t lose her mind. Which may have already sort of happened once last weekend.

And s ometime I’ve gotta put the truck away, and put snows on the Mini and my car.

WilliamsSW > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:48

Happy birthday to little Miss Davesaddiction! Sounds like things are going well for you - hopefully you can make up for that missed trip!

I’ve got a 2 year old now, and spending a decent chunk of time with him. He’s fun, but a lot of work, and he’s at that age where he’s constantly testing boundaries, so there are some stressful moments.

I’m on severance now, and doing some consulting, but neither of those will last forever, so I hope to find a new permanent job as early as possible in 2019. I’m not stressed about it yet, but come January I’ll probably start to be. Unfortunately, my wife isn’t real happy with her job, so that adds quite a bit to her stress level.

Still, we’re trying to plan a warm weather trip this winter - to escape Chicago at least temporarily.

XJDano > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:48

I got paid today, so I hit the checkout button on amazon. Oil filter adapter o-rings, tool for that, transmission pan gasket & filter, hatch struts, air filter, among other things. Going to start checking things off my list after they are complete and after deer hunting this week.

Alfalfa > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:52

Busy between engine swap, and twice week ly rehearsals 45 minutes from home. I get paid for the rehearsals though. Not excited about lack of daylight’s likely impact on Bronco progress, but I just ordered needed parts from summit, so that's fun.

DipodomysDeserti > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:52

Gotta love those independent women. I find balancing your kids’ independence to be the hardest part of parenting. You want them to think independently and critically, despite it being incredibly frustrating sometimes

Things have been good. It seems like things are finally settling down after the closing of my family’s business last year. My wife picked up another teaching gig that she loves, and was able to quit a job that she hated. Her side hustles are doing great, and might eventually bec ome main hustles. I also picked up another teaching gig this year, so it’s nice not having to worry about money as much again. On account of not working sixty or so hours a week anymore, I have a lot more free time. I was able to get into a weight lifting routine again and am starting to see some results. I have had a good amount of time to focus on my lesson plans, and have some really engaged students this year, which is always nice.

Both my younger sisters are having babies, so we’ll have some fresh ones running around again. My kindergartner is loving school, and my second grader is doing great in her studies. She tested into an advanced program where they have her learning how to code. I’ve been teaching her high school chemistry and biology, and she’s starting to grasp some complex concepts for a second grader. She’s also becoming much more fluent in Spanish, wh ich is great to see. Both girls are playing soccer right now, and are excited to see our local USL team play for the championship tomorrow.

We’ve finally entered our “safe to play outside” season, so I look forward to hitting more trails without worrying about dying of heat exhaustion. I’m also waiting on one last letter of recommendation for my grad school application. *Fingers crossed.

phenotyp > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 11:58

Man, when The Girl grows up... She’s always been an independent bad ass, but when she decides she’s done with her parents, as I’m sure she will, that shit’s gonna be hard .

E90M3 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 12:00

Life is life. Nothing really great going on, nothing really terrible going on either. Don’t really have anything coming up in the near future. I will say, 2018 is better than 2017 was, which was better than 2016, which wa s better than 2015. Things could be better and, conversely , things could be worse. Everything seems in the middle of the road right now.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/07/2018 at 12:00

You just need to give her a fist full of condoms, and say something really embarrassing like “I got these in girl colors just for you”.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/07/2018 at 12:04

lol... tbh.. she knows ill pick her up condoms if need be.... this week the idea of sex is still icky.... we’ll see where next week goes

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > DipodomysDeserti
11/07/2018 at 12:05

Wow - so much good news! Very happy for you and your family.

Coding + Spanish is awesome for your little girl!

I’m upset with myself for not getting out and exploring more locally these last couple months (really busy + really wet) , before the cold and dark started to settle in, but hopefully we can do some of that this month.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/07/2018 at 12:05

IIRC it goes from 0 to oh shit pretty fast. We can’t stop them but as dads we can hopefully help them make the correct decisions.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Alfalfa
11/07/2018 at 12:07

Big job! Get some badass LED shop lights. =)

What are the rehearsals for?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > XJDano
11/07/2018 at 12:09

Nice. Always feels good to get that stuff taken car of.

Hope you bag a nice one.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/07/2018 at 12:12

yep... it goes quick (thats why i have an emergency pack of condoms stashed in the iffits draw)

will that be enough... i dunno... heres to hoping she’s smart enough to insist on them... coz i know no teenage boy will

Alfalfa > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 12:12

I’ve got one of those nice clamping work lights that’s great as long as there’s something decent to clamp on where I’m working. It’s a carport, in a rental, so installing nice lights isn’t really high priority.

Rehearsals are for an Acapella caroling group to perform at an 1800s era Christmas village. This is actually my 3rd year doing it.

Maxima Speed > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 12:45

Work is winding down, season is basically over so just been winterizing the Kona trucks. School is crazy busy and I’m falling behind. I met a someone from my past and think I’m falling for her, again. School is almost over. Graduate in December then face the world and charge out into it. Freedom! Oh and my parents marriage is probably falling apart, which really sucks. Sooo, good and bad.

AestheticsInMotion > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 12:58

Haven’t done much these past 6 months that wasn’t work-related or as a means to build up financial health. In serious need of some adventuring. I’m hoping to get the Miata lifted with the next paycheck, grab some gear, and go on a rally/camping trip for a few days up in the snowy mountains.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 13:44

Looking at cost of living comparisons, screaming at a recruiting agency I’ve worked with for years that has apparently decided to just drop the ball one fucking foot from the goal and sit down . Furious does not begin to describe my mood.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WilliamsSW
11/07/2018 at 14:02

Thanks! Things are very good, just wish I could find a little more time to get projects done around the house and to do some exploring.

Two year olds are crazy, fun, and crazy fun. =)

Best of luck on the job front. Hope you find something great for you, and that things improve soon for your wife, too.

Warm weather trip sounds awesome. We’ll be traveling, but just to see family in the Midwest for the holidays.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 14:05

Just started a new job as an Advanced Battery Engineer, which basically means I get to work on control algorithms for all kinds of battery packs. So far it’s been great, if a bit slow because I need to wait for my new laptop to arrive (I got to spec a pretty nice one too).

On the flip side of that, the new job is about 150 km away, which means 2 times 2 hours of rush our driving, or 2 times 2 hours of sitting in a train. Getting up extra early, and all the travelling are really wearing me out. I hope I find a place to rent near my job soon, and that I can have a short commute in the Twingo again.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > functionoverfashion
11/07/2018 at 14:05

That sucks about the stress... Hard to impossible to make people change. Hopefully her job situation gets less hectic, at least.

We’re also blessed with a very large & loving extended family. Can’t wait to see them all soon.

Ski jumping?! Very cool.

Haha - good luck!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks
11/07/2018 at 14:07

Damn... sorry to hear it.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion
11/07/2018 at 14:08

Yes! Looking forward to that trip report.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 14:20

Yeah, story of my life. On the plus side, I’m a high enough earner for them that basically it’s gonna go a little something like...

He doesn’t return my call again. I get the head of the local office on the phone instead. Fireworks ensue.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Maxima Speed
11/07/2018 at 14:34

Get caught up on that schoolwork! Hope rekindling the relationship is a good thing. Congrats on almost being done and getting out into the real world. Sorry to hear about your folks...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Alfalfa
11/07/2018 at 14:35

I just bought one for my garage - what a difference!

That sounds like a good time. Lots of hidden talents here on OPPO.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
11/07/2018 at 14:39

Congrats on the new job!

That commute sounds brutal - hope you find something very soon.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > E90M3
11/07/2018 at 14:43

Glad things are progressively getting better. How are you spending your free time in the evenings and on weekends? Sounds like you need to add something to get you out of the “middle”.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > phenotyp
11/07/2018 at 14:44

Thankfully, in general, it’s done for a while, not done forever.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 14:53

Thanks!

Yeah, it’s pretty brutal, luckily my boss knows that so he lets me work reduced hours. Still need to get up around 5:30 am though....

E90M3 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/07/2018 at 14:58

I don’t spend it as productively as I should. I know I need a hobby, but I haven’t been able to zero in on one. I was playing a decent amount of golf, but the weather hasn’t been the best for that recently. I’ve got friends nearby, and I’ve spent some times with them, but almost everyone is in a long term relationship , so not everyone wants to do anything during the week. My attempts to find a girlfriend have so far been unsuccessful. It’ll get there, but I need to figure out exactly what I need to add.

Spanfeller is a twat > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/08/2018 at 13:27

I’m tired, I have some amount of work, and my book is translated.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Spanfeller is a twat
11/08/2018 at 14:57

You wrote a book?

Spanfeller is a twat > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/08/2018 at 14:59

It was a bet, but I took it too far and I want to publish it

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Spanfeller is a twat
11/08/2018 at 15:00

Haha - s ubject?

Spanfeller is a twat > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/08/2018 at 15:08

Well, it’s about two spies trying to sway an election and everything that happens to them during it. I try to touch on topics of how gender evolves, what being “good” is, personal biases, fanaticism, and how the media needs to be accountable and responsible. This all occurs in a fictional nation in 2048; so I also aboard on what I think will happen in the next thirty years. Its closer to satire than realism (for instance, instead of fixing global warming, we just build huge dikes near big costal cities which is sort of unreal )

It was my way of coping with the 2016 elections tbh....

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Spanfeller is a twat
11/08/2018 at 15:16

Very interesting! Nice achievement.